Tight Spot
by hakanamu
Summary: Naruto once believed he saw Sasuke as more of a brother than Itachi ever did. But stuck in the 13-year-old ANBU captain's body on the day of Uchiha Clan Massacre, could he really do any better?
1. ARC 1: Hit in the Head

**Disclaimer:** I. no. own. NARUTO.  
**Warning:** Spoilers & wild theories abound…

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**- CHAPTER 1 - Hit in the Head -**

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**

Thud.

'_Man, can't I even get a nap?_' Naruto groaned as he rubbed at the spot where something had just struck his head. '_Who the hell is throwing stuff into my apartment again?_'

Strangely, Fuzz-Ball wasn't helping with the bruise. Maybe it was still annoyed at him for nearly getting them _both_ controlled by Madara a few hours ago? But the bijuu only had itself to blame! Plus, it was _he_ who pulled them through in the end too!

Still, it looked as if Kyuubi was too busy moping over its wounded pride to care. With a sigh, Naruto rolled over to reach for that ice pack he had thrown under his bed after yesterday's fight. Hopefully, the ice wasn't totally gone yet. He probably should've put the pack back in a freezer if he had actually wanted to keep it around, but that battle of wills with Madara had left him simply too drained to even _think_. 'Sides, he wasn't sure if power in the village was even back up at this point yet.

Did he fall off his bed some time during the night though? Cuz Naruto could've sworn he had already rolled for five times the width of his bed—and his hand was _still_ hitting flat on whatever he was lying on. But com'on, he wasn't that heavy a sleeper! He'd wake up if his head hit the floor! In fact, Naruto bet he'd find the stupid pack if he just open his eyes…

…Only to find himself in a dim, bare, almost cell-like room.

'_What the…_' Naruto quickly checked himself over for signs of restraint. This had better not be those die-hard Ne's idea of making a comeback again!

However, even after sitting up, all Naruto could find was just his different clothes. It was a little hard to tell, but he thought they now looked like some kind of fishnet undershirt on top of full-length pants.

There wasn't any actual lighting in the room for him to be sure though—just a faint glow from what seemed to be one of those outdated paper-and-bamboo screen windows. But that light was so weak, Naruto could hardly make out anything around him 'cept the fuzziest outlines. Urgh, Fuzz-ball must be really upset if it was taking away even his advanced sight.

'_Well, if I walk into a trap this time_,' Naruto grumbled mentally as he squinted to make out more of his surroundings, '_it won't be my fault!_'

But without warning, that single window to his right suddenly brightened up—as if something had just moved out of the way. Naruto wasn't sure what happened over there, but he definitely wasn't about to complain about the better view after his eyes got a few seconds of adjustment. Now that he could see properly though, there was nothing stopping Naruto from getting a better feel of the room himself.

It wasn't as bad as he thought. As he'd already noticed earlier, his body was completely unrestrained. Also, apparently he just got up from a futon—cut from material that felt softer than anything his feet had ever came across. There was even a kettle off to the side, complete with a plate of rice cakes set beside it.

'Kay_… _If this was a prison, it was way too comfy. But if this was an illusion, it was way too unrealistic too!

This _wasn't_ a familiar type of lodging for him. In fact, it looked a bit like…

Clunk.

Naruto nearly stumbled over something on the floor. Cursing under his breath, he bent down to see what it was. The _thing_ seemed to have a cylindrical shape to it—with curves and dots written all over.

'_A mission scroll_,' Naruto realized. And judging from the seal protecting it, a pretty high-ranked one too.

During their two-year training trip, he managed to con Ero-Sennin into teaching him some seals here and there. While most turned out to be boring storage seals and the like, Naruto _did_ get his master to teach him those cool ones you'd find on mission scrolls after, er, an extra-successful use of his Oiroke no Jutsu. After all, what kind of a Hokage would he be if he couldn't even sort out what to give to his own ninja?

And sitting so harmlessly on his palm right now was an S-rank mission scroll. Naruto just _knew_ it had to be what hit his head earlier, but he also had no clue why someone would drop it off in his current room so carelessly.

Plus, the seals indicated it was meant for an ANBU captain. And last time he checked, Naruto knew he was still a _genin_.

He probably should've just left the scroll alone—seeing how it was clearly dropped at the wrong place. However, Naruto's curiosity nagged at him to take a closer look; after all, it wasn't everyday he get to see an S-rank mission scroll up close! Usually either Kakashi-sensei or… Sai would've picked one up from Tsunade-baachan before he even caught wind of a new mission. Come to think of it, he hadn't so much as _touched_ one before!

'_J__ust one quick peek_,' Naruto tried to tell himself as he nervously rolled the scroll with a thumb. '_That can't hurt, right?_'

So he did peek… and saw it was secured with a blood seal.

'_This must be for something big._' Naruto deduced as his fingers ran over the pattern half-consciously. '_Better turn it in so Baachan can get someone on the job right away!_'

Decision made, Naruto tried to go over the room one last time to see if he could find and get back into his own clothes. He'd just came to a closet on one side of the wall, and was sliding the cover open when…

'_!_' Naruto's eyes widened—and he had to blink several times just to make sure that he wasn't hallucinating.

'_Um_.' Taking out a few sets of clothes, Naruto tried to hold them as close to the glowing screen as he could. '_Why are there still _Uchiha_ shirts in Konoha?_'

Indeed, on the back of every shirt was an unmistakable fan symbol. The Uchiha clan symbol.

The Uchiha used to be greatly respected in Konoha—up until beans were spilled on _why_ they were massacred in the first place. Their supposed treachery, on top of Sasuke's own actions after Pein's attack, had turned the village decidedly against them. The memorial to their old district was torn down by some nameless civilian who was never caught, and their name only spoken of in disgusted tones.

It had gotten harder and harder for Naruto to bring back Sasuke without getting his 'brother' killed.

Now that he was reminded of the clan though, Naruto realized why this place seemed so familiar. Its boring furnishing was in exactly the same style as what he found when he trashed Sasuke's home for a prank one time!

'_Did Madara somehow find a way to trap me in an illusion even in my _sleep_?_' Naruto shuddered at the thought. '_Is he trying to guilt me into giving up on Sasuke?_'

Hurriedly putting those shirts and his own worries on the side for now, Naruto tried to dig deeper into the closet…

…And still couldn't find his stuff. But whoever owned this closet must be a ninja too, because Naruto found not one—but several—pouches neatly packed with all kinds of ninja gear. There was a kunai pack, a shuriken pack, a senbon pack… and various combos of them.

Picking the one closest to him, Naruto took out a somewhat clean-looking kunai. Steeling himself, he angled it and pierced his left palm.

'_Ouch!_' Naruto winced but quickly focused his mind on checking if his senses had been toyed with. Unfortunately, he couldn't tell any difference.

'_Great. I'm up against a genjutsu master._' Naruto couldn't help but sag a bit. Knowing his weakness, he'd worked really hard to improve on his illusion detection skills—but somehow they just never seem good enough against those Uchiha.

'_And even the most pacifist of the bunch is gone_.' Naruto sighed as he roughly wiped the kunai against his pants. It sounded like a bad joke when Madara first ran the story by them, but who'd thought Itachi was supposedly a loyal Konoha ninja to the core?

Not that Danzou or the Council wanted it to be known. _That_ didn't stop Sasuke from airing their dirty laundry, of course.

Naruto frowned when he noticed his palm wasn't healing up. Fuzz-Ball must be seriously pissed at him this time. But honestly, he _got_ the point now. Was all this trouble necessary?

Seeing how the wound wasn't exactly life-threatening though, Naruto figured he'd just take care of it himself. So fumbling through the closet again, he snuck out a bandage roll and ripped off a piece to wrap around his hand. On second thought, he got another two for his legs—just so he could tidy up the baggy ends of his new pants a bit. They had been tickling his legs so badly, it wasn't even funny!

He hesitated before actually putting on one of those Uchiha shirts though. Naruto still had no idea how he got himself into a room where they were kept, but he wasn't exactly suicidal enough to wear one openly within Konoha. Illusion or not, Naruto didn't want to push his luck.

However, maybe he really didn't have to worry about the issue after all. Because just as Naruto was about to turn for an exit, a sudden wooziness overtook him…

He fell to the floor before he could move another inch.

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**A/N: **And the plot bunny struck again. I was still revising a chapter for ToNR when this idea popped into my head: Itachi turned out to be more of a brother than anyone gave him credit for—could/would Naruto actually go to such lengths if he was in Itachi's shoes? I still haven't decided if I should keep going with this premise, so any feedback is appreciated.

EDIT: A note on Naruto's obliviousness. I'm assuming 13!Itachi's body might not look all that different from 16!Naruto's in the dark. After all, the series already showed Itachi to be relatively tall at a young age, whereas Naruto only caught up after a time skip?


	2. ARC 1: Waking Up

**Disclaimer:** I. own. NARUTO. not.  
**Warning:** Spoilers & wild theories abound…

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**- CHAPTER 2 - Waking Up -**

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"Poison… Six hours…"

"Clear… No residual… Bloodstream…"

Naruto tried to open his eyes; they felt rather heavy at the moment. Light was leaking in around the edges, but he had trouble lifting his eyelids to let in even another ray.

His efforts must've alerted whoever was speaking though, because someone immediately forced his mouth open to pour in _something_. Naruto's childhood paranoia instantly kicked in and fought against the attempt, but it was kinda hard when his entire body felt so weak.

However, the substance must've meant to help—because Naruto was slowly finding it easier to move his muscles. And after a few failed tries, he finally got his eyes to open up.

"How are you feeling, Itachi?"

Naruto froze. It wasn't because the voice had asked about a dead man. It wasn't because he had yet to hear _anyone_ speak of said Uchiha in such a concerned tone. No, it was because…

That voice belonged to someone who should be in the Death God's belly.

Naruto slowly turned to face the speaker—and sure enough, his eyes showed him an old man dressed in red and white. Although it was probably all based off his own memory, Naruto was still amazed at how those skin discoloration spots were positioned and shaded just as he remembered them. This genjutsu must be really advanced to have recreated the Third Hokage down to such detail.

If he could, Naruto would've cried. He missed the Old Man so much! Whoever picked Sandaime-jiichan to be the one present when he woke up must be one sneaky bastard; there was very little that Naruto wouldn't automatically want to spill to the Hokage. He'd done it enough times as a child, after all.

But Sandaime-jiichan had been dead for years; and Naruto was no longer just a naïve chuunin-hopeful, either.

As he suspiciously scanned about to see _who_ was being called by the dead Uchiha's name, Naruto realized he was lying on a hospital bed. There was just no way he could mistaken the iron-framed footboard, or the depressing size of a one-person ward. The sheets that covered him even smelled strongly of the same disinfectants he had came to hate so much over the years…

The Old Man had gone ahead to talk with a uniformed med-nin in low whispers. Seeing no one else in the room, Naruto could only guess that woman must've been the one who had force-fed him that yucky stuff. Whether it was out of her professionalism or her reservation in Sandaime-jiichan's presence, she hadn't tried anything funny—so Naruto tried to not make a fuss over what she did.

Still, he was more than a little curious about her conversation with the Hokage. Kyuubi was, however, apparently denying him his advanced senses; Naruto was beginning to wonder if their loss was part of this strange illusion that he had somehow fallen under.

As Naruto continued to silently observe the pair, the Hokage suddenly waved off the medical ninja. The woman looked a little hesitant—even going so far as shooting Naruto a worried look—but she quickly complied and left the room.

Baffled by her concern, Naruto almost didn't catch Sandaime-jiichan's question.

"How are you feeling, Itachi?" the Hokage was asking for a third time after he didn't respond.

Refocusing his attention back on the Old Man, Naruto noted the elder ninja now had a grim expression on his face. It was a serious side of Sandaime-jiichan Naruto had rarely seen in his youth; but seeing it now, Naruto was reminded of how the man was as much a grandfather figure to him as a former leader to his village.

But this illusionary construct had just given itself away with those questions. Why had this clearly advanced genjutsu slip on something as stupid as having Sandaime-jiichan calling him _Itachi_?

Vehemently reminding himself that this was just a genjutsu, Naruto steeled himself and replied tentatively, "Still weak, Hokage-sama."

It was as far removed as he'd ever got in talking to Konoha's Third Hokage. Naruto wasn't sure why he was being referred to as 'Itachi' in this weird illusion, but he'd play along just to see what the person behind all this wanted to get out of him.

That was when he realized his voice sounded different.

He… almost sounded like Itachi! Wait, the slightly higher pitch aside, this _was_ exactly how Itachi's voice would've sounded like!

Alright, so this illusion _really_ wanted him to role-play the former Akatsuki member. Sure, two could play the game.

"Has the Council pressured you again?" the Hokage continued to ask, sending Naruto's mind on a race to determine the hidden goal behind those questions. As far as he knew, the only thing that Konoha's shady powers could possibly pressure Itachi for would've been the Massacre. Was the mysterious genjutsu-master trying to dig out what else Sasuke might've told him during their last encounter?

Well, no one could get to his acknowledged brother through him! So curtly, Naruto gritted out, "No, Hokage-sama."

The Old Man was looking him right in the eye now, and Naruto had to consciously catch himself from squirming under that familiar gaze. "Itachi, there is no need to keep things to yourself. I _know_ that they had sent you an ultimatum."

'_Ultimatum?_' Naruto remained rigid in his posture even as he heard his own voice stubbornly insisting: "They have not, Hokage-sama. There is nothing that I would have kept from you."

Wait, did he just talk in perfect grammar? Was this another weird effect of the genjutsu? Naruto was surprised at how well he pulled off the act of speaking like that cool bastard. Fine, so maybe it wasn't good to speak ill of the dead—but he'd gotten rather annoyed with just how condescending Itachi always seemed to act. Whatever his true intentions were at the time, Itachi really made it hard for anyone to like him while he was still alive!'

But going back to the words he just gave… Technically, all of what he said to Sandaime-jiichan was true: Uzumaki Naruto never got anything _directly_ from the Konoha Council. He had his own bones to pick with those senile jerks alright, but they were far too good to be caught red-handed in their schemes. As for Sandaime-jiichan… Well, even now, Naruto still couldn't bring himself to lie to this fake version of the Old Man.

So he should've sounded sincere enough; Sandaime-jiichan's expression definitely softened for a moment. However, Naruto noticed the Hokage quickly donned an even more severe expression as he took out a familiar-looking scroll. "Then how would you explain this, Itachi?"

It was the same scroll that hit his head last… night? Naruto was actually unsure about what time of the day this illusion had placed him in. But in any case, his mind was slowly—but surely—starting to connect the dots.

First, he got an S-rank mission scroll addressed to an ANBU captain. Then he found himself in this place where the Third Hokage was questioning him as _Itachi_, of all people. Third, his own voice was sounding a little too much like the dead Uchiha for his comfort. And last but not least, the Old Man actually implied that scroll he got was an _ultimatum _for Itachi from the Council…

Oh damn, was this weird illusion trying to put him in Itachi's shoes before the Uchiha Clan Massacre?!

Naruto was surprised that he still managed to pull off a blank face. Maybe the genjutsu didn't want him to wreck its setup by leaking out his true identity either? His cheek muscles did feel strangely numb…

"And why else would you attempt suicide?" The Hokage pressed on as Naruto struggled to come up with a safe answer.

Almost defensively, Naruto tightening his hands and retorted, "I have not, Hokage-sama."

_Suicide_? Itachi? The two ideas simply didn't mix… So why in the world would _this_ Sandaime-jiichan suggest something as ridiculous as that? Other than physical appearances, this illusion was seriously getting less and less realistic by the minute.

"Indeed?" Anger flitted momentarily across the Hokage's face. "Then why have you cut yourself with a kunai coated with your own poison? You were lucky that the Head Medical Officer worked out a partial antidote just in time!"

Itachi used poison with his weapon? Naruto didn't know that—he thought it was just a specialty of that weird puppet-guy Sakura-chan had to fight back when they were trying to rescue Gaara from the Akatsuki. But almost all ninjas kept their own secret bag of tricks, so Naruto supposed he shouldn't be too surprised…

Sandaime-jiichan obviously took his silence for something other than simple reflections though, because the village leader sighed tiredly before handing the scroll to Naruto. "At least open this for me? Or are you only the Council's tool now, Itachi?"

"Of course not!" Naruto blurted out before he could process his reaction, and he immediately regretted it when the Third Hokage gave him an odd look. Trying to diffuse the situation, Naruto quickly bit his thumb and ran it across the scroll.

After the seal symbols were thoroughly soaked with his blood, Naruto clumsily shaped his fingers into the required hand seals. He was a little surprised at his speed. Sure, he was moving just as fast as he usually was—but it was his body's instincts suggesting that he could've gone _faster_ that really unsettled him.

As he fed the seal its needed chakra, it finally released itself to let the scroll roll open. Naruto picked it up and, after a silent prompting from the Hokage, read its cryptic content aloud: "The Hunt is called. Bring the Game to the table tonight."

Now, Naruto knew he wasn't a genius, but even _he_ could figure out what those words meant given his knowledge of the Massacre. Still, that wasn't exactly the issue at the top of his mind at this moment. No, he wasn't at all bothered by the lengths to which this illusion had apparently gone to recreate Itachi's life-altering day—not after he figured out its goal.

But he was bothered by how _precisely_ he had poured his chakra.

Naruto had heard of genjutsu that could affect one's physical senses. He had even heard of some nasty ones that could distort one's mental states or personality. Yet never, never had he heard of ones that could boost one's chakra control by what seemed like a gazillion times…

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**A/N: **The continuation to my experimental piece. Feedback welcomed.

EDIT: Naruto's deduction might seem narrow-focused, but notice how he already believed everything to be an illusion after seeing Sandaime alive. The poison/medicine could have physically altered his voice, but it probably didn't occur to a short-term thinker like Naruto? He had moved onto what the 'enemy' _wanted_ him to believe so he could devise countermeasures. The 'clues' he received later only reinforced his preconception.


	3. ARC 1: Changed Reality

**Disclaimer:** I. no. own. NARUTO.  
**Warning:** Spoilers & wild theories abound…

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**- ****CHAPTER 3 - Changed Reality -**

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"_Fools_," The Third Hokage's voice trembled with a thick undertone of anger that had Naruto looking up in surprise. "This would solve _nothing_. How _dare_ they go behind my back like this…"

The Hokage had just taken the scroll back from Naruto's hands, and was now glaring at it as if it was an abomination of the highest order. Naruto was actually kinda grateful for that sudden outburst from Sandaime-jiichan; it managed to pull him out from his confused jumble of thoughts right before he could seriously go nuts over them.

Alright, so his situation was more than a little bizarre, but one thing was sure: he was somehow playing the role of a thirteen-year-old Uchiha Itachi. Given that unnerving match with the blood seal and this sudden jump in his chakra control… he might even be looking at a creepy (and really, very very _very_ unlikely) possibility that he was actually stuck in the other ninja's body.

But illusion or not, Naruto had no intention of repeating what Itachi did. There was just no way that he could bring himself to kill all those people in cold blood. In fact, did he even know _how_?

'Sides, if this genjutsu was trying to extract what extra info he had on the Massacre, Naruto wasn't about to betray Sasuke's trust! And if this was the past that he had unknowingly been tossed back into, Naruto definitely didn't want to be the person who brought so much pain and grief into Sasuke's life in the first place either.

There had to be another solution to Itachi's dilemma back then, right? There just _had_ to be.

If Naruto could make it his goal to keep both Sasuke _and_ Konoha safe at the same time, why couldn't 'Itachi' also act to maintain the peace of both Sasuke's family _and_ Konoha? That would throw off the expectations of whoever was behind this illusion for sure! Or… Or change history! Both ideas were devious enough to tickled enticingly at the mischievous prankster in Naruto.

Itachi had claimed he was just a child without the guts to make tough choices. Well, Naruto would show them just what a _child_ could do!

Even as Naruto sorted out his thoughts though, he noticed Sandaime-jiichan had also calmed down. When the village leader was asking him again, it was in a quiet and almost unsettling tone. "Itachi, do you acknowledge me as your leader?"

"Always, Hokage-sama," Naruto replied almost without thinking.

"Then I rescind this order," the Third Hokage smiled grimly as he lit up the scroll with a small fire jutsu that surprised Naruto. Was this supposed to happen?

Nonetheless, Naruto's attention was soon drawn to how masterfully the elder ninja handled the blaze. He could barely tell when Sandaime-jiichan had made his hand seals, or how he could make the flames dance so harmlessly in his palm like a flashy trinket!

"_Hai_, Hokage-sama," Naruto murmured even as he watched the fire died off in wonderment.

Still, Naruto had kept enough of his senses to reduce his words to a minimum. After all, now that he had time to think about his options, Naruto was pretty sure that he didn't want to head for the ANBU Interrogation Unit. He had heard enough nasty things about that place from Ino already.

Not to mention, Naruto didn't think he could stand to have hostility directed at him from Sandaime-jiichan.

So he bit back the '_dattebayo_' for now. And what kind of sentences did he use a few minutes ago? He certainly had the Old Man fooled for a while. Right… Must use good grammar… must avoid contraction… must stay composed… must…

Gah! Whatever! Naruto was pretty sure that he just needed to keep a blank face.

"The coup, it's in a fortnight?" the Hokage asked, catching Naruto completely off-guard with the sudden turn in conversation.

Ooh, was he in trouble now. Naruto had no idea about the _details_ of the Massacre. Just the general gist of what Madara and Sasuke told him. But Itachi would have to murder his family before the planned coup d'état could happen, right? So, maybe it was safe for him to just go along with what was said?

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Naruto replied even as he mentally crossed his fingers and hoped for the best.

The Third Hokage merely nodded. "I know this is asking a lot of you, Itachi, but please try and see if your father can agree to my latest offer of peaceful settlement. There is really nothing either side can gain from this conflict."

Um, and Itachi said _he_ had pipe dreams. Naruto stubbornly pushed aside the negative thoughts as he spoke as evenly as he could, "I will try, Hokage-sama."

Sandaime-jiichan had a sad expression on his face as he stood up from his seat by Naruto's bed. "The poison is not completely out of your system yet, Itachi. We do not know enough of its ingredients to know the side-effects, but you should be well enough to return to your home this morning."

Naruto nodded slowly, He really hoped he wouldn't end up having to bleed out the remaining poison as he did on the Wave mission—especially when Kyuubi was being strangely unresponsive. Heck, it might not even _be_ around to heal him for the blood loss anymore. Of course, judging from what the Old Man said, it sounded like the toxin had already circulated through this body and Naruto didn't know how to solve _that _problem.

He was startled out of his thoughts again when Sandaime-jiichan suddenly spoke in a barely audible voice, "If worse comes to worse… I will not have you execute them yourself, Itachi."

Naruto wasn't sure if he was supposed to respond, but the Old Man was out of the room before he could make a sound. Closing his eyes again, Naruto finally relaxed his body in the bed even as he wondered why his eyes felt a little moist. He was not really Itachi, so why was he plagued with this wrenching pain in his heart?

Was it just the residual poison?

.

"_Nii-san_, where were you?"

As Naruto hesitantly entered what he remembered to be Sasuke's former residence in Konoha, he was greeted with said boy's enthusiastic jump on him. Naruto's arms shot out before he realized what he was doing, catching his 'brother' and keeping them both in balance.

What was he supposed to say now though? How had Itachi interacted with Sasuke in their childhood? Looking at this innocent and chubby version of Sasuke, Naruto was at a loss for words when someone rescued him from his predicament…

"Itachi."

Naruto stiffened when he saw the speaker. There, standing in the shadows of the foyer, was Uchiha Fugaku.

He never had too close a contact with the former head of Konoha Military Police, but Naruto recognized the man from a cracked photo frame that Sakura-chan and him discovered in Sasuke's room after he abandoned Konoha. But… what would Itachi have called his father? Naruto really had no idea. However, if he was playing a supposedly cool and aloof guy, then maybe he just had to say… "_Chichiue_."

The word felt decidedly alien on his tongue. Naruto had been an orphan, and he didn't know how to deal with the concept of having a father—even a fake one.

"Inner study," the man said simply. "I will speak to you there."

Naruto nodded absentmindedly as the Uchiha clan head turned to leave the house's foyer. Had he been discovered? Or this _was_ how Itachi's father usually talked with him? If so, Naruto definitely didn't miss out on anything for being parentless.

"Nii-san…" Naruto looked down to see Sasuke pulling at his gray pants. Man, this little guy sure was adorable to look at. The sight made it almost painful for Naruto to remember what a revenge-twisted creature his 'brother' had grown up into. "Can you show me how to throw shuriken later?"

Carefully letting down the boy on the floor, Naruto tugged at his own oddly frozen lips. "I need to talk to father first. Ask me again when we're done, okay?"

Sasuke grumbled unintelligibly, but ran off to another room. From where he stood, Naruto could tell that was this family's dining room.

Family.

…A foreign concept that Naruto both wanted and feared. He wanted to have a family to acknowledge him and support him when no else would. And yet, he also feared of having a family to criticize him and put him down when everyone else already were.

But at least family meant blood ties. Family meant _belonging_.

Itachi had a family. But he killed it for the village.

Itachi had a brother. But he set his own closest kin against himself for Sasuke's safety.

Naruto suddenly felt guilty about accusing Itachi all those years ago, about how the Akatsuki member never saw Sasuke as much of a brother as _he_ did. Put in Itachi' quandary now, Naruto wondered if he could really bear to make his 'brother' hate him just to keep the other ninja alive and strong.

'_Hah! As if I know how to do that Tsukuyomi-thing_.' Naruto mentally shook his head as he tried to retrace Fugaku's steps.

At the end of a long corridor, Naruto finally found himself before a set of screen doors. He faltered in his steps. Could he pull off the pretense of being Itachi before the guy's own father? In fact, had Fugaku already noticed anything funny and was just waiting to blow off his flimsy cover?

But thinking back to little Sasuke who was still waiting for his elder brother to show him how to throw shuriken, Naruto pushed aside his doubts and resolutely slid open the door.

* * *

**A/N: **This chapter might seem to move a little slow, but hopefully it's starting to give off clues about the true nature of Naruto's situation? Again, feedback welcomed.


	4. ARC 1: Hokage is My Dream

**Disclaimer:** I. NARUTO. no. own.  
**Warning:** Spoilers & wild theories abound…

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-** CHAPTER 4 - Hokage is My Dream -**

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**

"Sit." Fugaku didn't even look up from his kettle when Naruto entered the study.

Naruto quickly surveyed the room and found an empty space in front of the tea table that Fugaku was sitting behind. Tentatively, he bent his knees and knelt down.

"So," the Uchiha clan head spoke again as soon as Naruto was seated. "Why did you attempt suicide last night?"

Naruto had to bite his tongue to avoid panicking. What was he supposed to say? That he accidentally nicked himself with one of Itachi's poisoned kunai, just because he was trying to break out of a genjutsu? Yeah, _that_'d blow his cover right away—if it wasn't already.

"What? No answer?" Fugaku finally looked up, and Naruto almost flinched when he saw those activated Sharingan. "Did it have something to do with that scroll they took away with you to the hospital?"

Damn Itachi for playing double-agent! Now what could _he_ say without raising suspicion? "I wish to verify the nature of a secret mission given to me. I require a suitable… alibi."

Right, he could do this. He just needed to keep up that blank face and insufferable coolness!

"Mission," Fugaku did repeat the word calmly at first, but only before he suddenly seized the front of Naruto's shirt. "It is always your _secret_ mission! Mission, mission, _mission_!"

Running out of things to say that _wouldn't_ give him away, Naruto silently watched as the man pulled in his body until they were face-to-face, "What happened to your _clan_? Your _family_? Have you forgotten your _position_?"

Despite the undisguised anger being breathed down at him, Naruto could only feel relief. So they still thought he was Itachi after all… "No…"

Fugaku abruptly released his hold, nearly unbalancing Naruto. "You," the man _growled_, "are the pipe connecting the clan to the village. First the clan, then the village. Need I remind you that?"

"No," Naruto murmured. So this was the role Itachi had to play in his clan? But why did he betray the Uchiha then? Oh, right, to avoid civil war. But was a massacre the only solution? Sandaime-jiichan had just given him—well, _Itachi_—a legitimate chance to put it off for now. In fact, that could almost been seen as the ANBU captain's new _mission_, right?

…Except, even the Hokage didn't dismiss the eventual need to wipe out the whole clan if it didn't back down. Come to think of it, if Sandaime-jiichan actually chose someone else to execute the deed this time, Sasuke might not even be left alive. Naruto hated to think about the situation like this, but he was certainly still in as much of a tight spot as the original Itachi.

So what could he say to put a stop to this mess? What could 'Itachi' say to convince Uchiha Fugaku to call off the coup? To keep the peace between Konoha and the Uchiha clan? To keep Sasuke's childhood?

"Father," Naruto started, forcibly brushing aside his uneasiness with using _that_ address, "What can we gain from this?"

The man sitting in front of him glared, but Naruto met the glare evenly with as empty a look as he could pull off. Finally, Fugaku deactivated his eyes and sighed. "You're lucky that only I heard you saying that. Otherwise, even I cannot keep you out of the Police jail."

Something from last night clicked in Naruto's mind. "Is house arrest any better?"

Fugaku didn't deny his non-too-subtle accusation, "It was for your protection. Not everyone in the clan trusts you."

His heart clenched, but Naruto ignored it and moved on, "But do you trust me, _chichiue_?"

Fugaku paused, but finally replied with conviction, "Of course, Itachi."

Well, that did it for Naruto. Naruto was Naruto, Itachi was Itachi… For Uzumaki Naruto, it was unthinkable to knowingly betray another's trust. Of course, that didn't mean he wouldn't try to protect his beloved Konoha too. "Then, father, can you truthfully _deny_ that our clan can gain nothing from this coup?"

The Uchiha clan head opened his mouth in retort almost immediately, but nothing came out. For a moment, the man simply closed his mouth again and pursed his lips.

"The truth cannot be denied, father." Emboldened, Naruto carried on in a detached voice even as his mind raced to translate his thoughts into somewhat more Itachi-like speech. "We, the Uchiha, are but one clan out of many in Konoha. Even if we succeed in eliminating the ANBU, there will be others who oppose us. We will be faced with rebellion at every turn, with countries like Iwa fully ready to exploit our weakness and attack. It will be the Third Great Ninja War again, except we will have a divided force."

Still, Fugaku didn't answer. He seemed to find a teacup in his hand _very interesting_ at the moment.

"But," Naruto felt an inexplicable clarity in his mind as words continued to be shaped by his mouth, "as a large and cohesive group, our clan has undeniable influence in the village. It is not something the Council can stripe away without exposing their baseless suspicion. However, if we revolt, it _will_ give them the excuse to curb our numbers—even to… order our execution."

"Exactly what had been in that scroll, wasn't it?" Fugaku laughed hollowly, turning to face him. "Will you _execute_ your clan, Itachi?"

Did the original Fugaku know about the Council's order? Naruto couldn't help but wonder. Being the head of Konoha Military Police, and a long-time jounin to boot, the man couldn't have been too trusting… or too ignorant. Was the Massacre more than just a tragedy for Itachi and Sasuke? Did Fugaku fully expect to walk to his own death that night?

Did the man see no hope in his own clan's plans to revolt and simply give up?

"No," Naruto realized that he had to give a reassuring answer quickly. And it was true: _Naruto_ couldn't kill a whole clan that was bound to have more than one child innocent of the rebellious plot. Itachi's blade had only been stayed by his love for Sasuke, but the ANBU captain certainly hadn't shown mercy to other children in the clan.

Naruto was pretty sure he was nothing like that.

Fugaku nodded, but Naruto could see that the man didn't really buy into his denial. "Yes. As expected of my child, you are loyal to the clan."

It stung Naruto's eyes to see how the clan head did not even believe in his own words. They were lies that the man clearly _wanted_ to believe, but simply _could _not believe.

"I…" Naruto felt compelled to say something, _anything_ to make the man feel better. It was strange. He didn't even know this guy personally, so why should it matter to him if Fugaku was wallowing in the pain of being betrayed by his own flesh and blood? Why should his heart feel so pained?

An almost… outrageous idea came to Naruto's mind then, and he latched onto it like a drowning man.

"Being the Hokage is my dream." Naruto couldn't believe he was revealing his most cherished ambition in this body now… but it might just work if he phrased this right! "And our clan's possible salvation. Konoha already acknowledges me as a prodigy, one with the potential to match the Sannin or the Fourth. I have the favor of Hokage. The Council even knows that I am willing to sacrifice the clan for peace in the village…"

There. He just spilled it for Itachi. Was Fugaku going to kill him now?

The man merely held up his cup, with a calm and yet unreadable expression on his face.

So Naruto pressed on, "Yet, that is not my desire. I wish to protect the _whole_ Konoha, including the clan—which, I believe, is an integral part of this village."

Fugaku still hadn't made a sound.

Hoping for the best, Naruto finally dropped the bombshell, "If I can present myself as a sufficiently trustworthy candidate… and become the next Hokage… would it not finally stop their attempts to keep us out of Konoha's vital affairs? Would it not end this distrust they have encouraged from the villagers?"

Silence reigned as his questions trailed off.

Without warning, Fugaku laughed. It was a hearty one this time.

"And that is the answer I've been waiting for," the man said when he finally had the laughter under control, but he still had a faint smile on his lips. "What you said about the futility of our coup—the clan knows it. But we cannot sit back while they continue to ostracize us, oppress us. It is a fight for survival. But _you_, Itachi, _you_'ve found a solution just as I hoped you would."

Naruto could only blink.

"_Hokage_, huh?" Fugaku took up the heated kettle from his right side to pour himself another cup of tea. "Yes, that would certainly work for the clan if you could manage it. If you were born into any other family, it might not even be a challenge for you, hmm?"

Um, maybe not for the _real_ Itachi. But did Naruto just create a competitor for—well, himself? Between his 'brother' and Hokage-hood, though, Naruto supposed that he probably would go for Sasuke's well-being first. That didn't mean he would give up on his dream, just… he could pursue it after Sasuke was taken care of. Besides, it wasn't as if he couldn't simply hand the position over to 'Naruto' later; he preferred to be a Hokage under his own name, after all.

Naruto tried not to think about how he was supposed to match Itachi's current skill level—even if the guy was only thirteen.

_Something_ in the back of his mind nagged at him to make a swift reply to Fugaku's seemingly hypothetical question though, "But _you_ are my family."

Sure enough, the man's smile deepened at his statement. "And so are you to us, Itachi. Very well, I will inform the clan of your solution—don't deny it, we know what your mission was tonight."

Naruto found he was oddly unsurprised. But he had to ask, "Yet you were ready to let me carry it out?"

The clan head had turned to replace the kettle, so Naruto couldn't really see his expression. But the voice that came out of Fugaku was firm and steady, "It would be fitting to die by our 'pride'. And we would not have gone down without a fight."

Despite outward appearances, Naruto was decidedly uncomfortable as he processed that declaration while Fugaku handed him a filled teacup. Sipping from it with stiff cheeks, Naruto couldn't help but feel there was still some pieces to this situation he had missed. But the Uchiha clan head seemed to have agreed to his dignified alternative to the coup, so what else could be bothering him…?

* * *

**A/N: **There, I've set up the possibility for a _major_ AU. Do people want me to continue with this twist? If not, I still left enough room to go back to canon… ;)


	5. ARC 1: My Brother Sasuke

**Disclaimer:** I. no. NARUTO. own.  
**Warning:** Spoilers & wild theories abound…

* * *

**- CHAPTER 5 - My Brother Sasuke -**

.

As he splashed handfuls of water onto his face, Naruto tried to use the cold liquid to freshen his thought-clogged mind.

After a final rinse, he gripped either side of the basin before slowly lifting up his face to look at the mirror in front of him. And he meant _really_ looked. Not just a cursory glimpse, not a quick peep… but a deliberate observation of 'his' reflection.

He saw dark, limp hair—not blond, wild spikes. He saw dark, opaque eyes—not blue, clear irises.

He also saw a leaner face that probably just lost the last vestiges of its baby fat. Enough of the facial features had already sharpened to hint at the adult visage that it would someday grow into. If nothing else, there was at least no mistaking those long nose ridges.

Naruto tugged at his lips. The face in the mirror barely twitched its mouth. He tugged harder. Nothing happened.

A little alarmed, Naruto tried to call up one of his grins—and utterly failed.

Was this how he managed to fool the others? Naruto knew it _had_ seem too easy to convince experienced ninjas like Sandaime-jiichan and Fugaku of his supposed identity… He just didn't know _why_. But now, Naruto believed he might've found the reason.

…It was because he really had _no_ expression.

Was this a result of that poison? Or was this the true reason behind someone's unflappable 'composure'?

"Can I wake up now?" Naruto muttered even as his voice came out just a quarter pitch above Itachi's usual baritone. Hearing it and seeing it at the _same_ time… Alright, he was officially spooked now.

Closing his eyes, Naruto thought back to what Ero-Sennin taught him about dispelling tough illusions again and tried to stop his chakra flow. A second passed. Then another. When Naruto felt that he would have surely passed the field test as a rock with absolutely no visible flow of chakra, he opened his eyes again.

Itachi's own fathomless eyes stared back at him.

Aheh heh… Right, they were his eyes now. Stopping a shudder that he would never admit to having, Naruto supposed that he could finally assume that he was in the past—rather than a genjutsu. But how did he end up in Itachi's body? And why did it have to be _Itachi_, of all people?

Naruto usually wasn't one to think too much outside the present, but he was more than a little curious about what could have led him to his odd current situation.

Releasing his hold on the basin for now, Naruto brought up 'his' hands up and flexed them; they felt just like his own.

He tried a few hand seals; 'his' fingers flew through them even faster than they did this morning. In fact, it almost felt like they knew how to twist themselves into the right positions even _before_ he thought of the specific seals.

That was it. Naruto _had_ to find a private training ground, and soon. He needed somewhere where he could safely test how much of Itachi's abilities had came with this body.

Naruto would be lying if he said that he hadn't thought of the Sharingan almost immediately. However, he had no idea how to activate the kekkei genkai—and he knew that was one thing he couldn't just _ask_.

Drying his hands on a towel, Naruto hesitated just for half a second before pulling a high-collar Uchiha shirt over 'his' fishnet top. The visual effect had him almost gagging in distaste. He had to consciously resist the urge of tearing off the clothes right away; they simply reminded him too much of Sasuke in his annoying smart-ass days.

'_Well, if all goes well, maybe he won't be so annoying in the future._' Naruto chuckled as he tied a well-polished headband over his forehead, but had to stop when the sound sent shivers up his spine. Okay, Itachi's voice was patently _not_ suited for expressing amusement.

Straightening his clothes one last time, Naruto quickly left the small bathroom for the foyer.

Just as Naruto was about done with putting on that pair of sandals he had came 'home' with, his ears caught the sound of footsteps. Sure enough, after turning his head, Naruto found a hopeful Sasuke standing right behind him. "Nii-san, are you going to train with me now?"

Well, Naruto did tell the boy to ask him again after his conversation with Fugaku, but… "Why aren't you in school?"

Sasuke made a face, "Duh! It's end of the year. We're just supposed to review and train!"

"…" Okay, but did Naruto really want to have a tag-along to notice he might not be exactly at Itachi's level? "I'm going to be busy today. Why don't you ask father? He's a good teacher too."

"But you're the best at throwing shuriken!" Sasuke pouted. "I'm a kid, but even _I_ know that."

"…" Right, and now Naruto really did _not_ want Sasuke to come with him. Sure, he was _decent_ with weapon throwing—but it sounded as if Itachi had already achieved his _insane_ skill in that area.

But before Naruto could think up another excuse, Sasuke was already accusing him in a disappointed voice, "You always act as if I'm a burden to you!"

"…I won't have the time to take care of you today." Despite what he just said, Naruto could feel his resolve already weakening at the sight of a downcast Sasuke. If 'Itachi' seemed a little sluggish today, he could always blame it on the poison that was supposedly still circulating in this body, right?

"Always saying 'today'…" Sasuke's low mutters were the last straw for him. Naruto sighed as he beckoned for the younger boy with a gesture that felt oddly familiar.

He caught himself just before two of his fingers could poke Sasuke's head. Now, why did he do all that? Dismissing this body's strange reflex, Naruto quirked his lips when he saw his 'brother' took a step back to avoid the poke. "Are you coming or not?"

"Huh?" Sasuke's eyes were wide as they stared at him dumbly.

Naruto heard a quiet laugh erupting from his throat—it was actually _pleasant_. "I thought you want to train with me?"

"Alright!" Sasuke excitedly jumped onto his back, and Naruto barely stopped himself from wincing at the impact.

'_Not even asking why I went back on my earlier statements… he's still such a child_.' Naruto couldn't help but feel amused as he stood up with Sasuke's arms still wrapped around his neck. Before Naruto realized what he was doing, his own arms had already opened the door and wound around Sasuke's knees so that the boy could ride on him in a piggyback position. "Going for the easy ride again, Sasuke?"

"No way!" Naruto had to focus his eyes on the path in front of them, but he could almost imagine Sasuke's indignant look just from his whining voice. "You didn't give me a chance to say no!"

"Oh?" As his feet navigated through _back lanes_ in the Uchiha district with a mind of their own, Naruto could feel the uneasiness that started since his hospital stay gradually growing. "Does that mean you want to be let down then?"

"Nuh-uh!" Sasuke's childish voice quickly carried over several streets as Naruto distracted himself with testing how fast this body could run. "You have to make up for all the times you didn't…"

.

"Nii-san, is something wrong?"

Naruto swiped off a light sheen of sweat from his forehead, before he continued to collect the shuriken they had been throwing that afternoon. "No. Why do you ask?"

"You're… a little slow today?" Sasuke's innocent question had Naruto paused in his steps for a moment. Thankfully, he happened to stop right under a target with uncollected shuriken stuck on it… So his slip shouldn't be too obvious?

But as Naruto methodically stacked the shuriken into his weapon pouch, he still kept his voice composed while returning Sasuke's question with one of his own—just in case, "You know that I was in the hospital just last night, right?"

"Yeah, so…" Sasuke frowned at him from his position at the edge of the forest clearing. "Oh! Are you still hurt then?"

"You could say that," Naruto gave his 'brother' a faint smile. It was somehow easier to move his facial muscles in the presence of Sasuke… "Just give me a few days and I should be back to 'normal.'"

At least, Naruto hoped so. This body's physical instincts _were_ there, he just needed more practice to wire them in with his own cognitive experience. And while his proficiency with throwing shuriken had progressed greatly after an afternoon, Naruto didn't really get a chance to familiarize himself with the level of Itachi's _other_ taijutsu skills—not to mention he was more than a little apprehensive on _how_ he was supposed to acquire the ANBU captain's fearsome arsenal of genjutsu and ninjutsu techniques…

"But you're still awesome, nii-san!" As if sensing Naruto's uncertainty, Sasuke quickly assured him. Of course, the boy soon exposed his hidden agenda: "You _have_ to show me that trick you used for hitting those blind spots!"

"Maybe next time." Naruto playfully poked the child's…damn _pokable_ head when he walked up close enough to his 'brother.'

It truly was fun to watch Sasuke's round face scrunched up in obvious annoyance… "Humph!"

Scanning the training field one last time to make sure that they hadn't left anything behind, Naruto patted Sasuke's shoulders. "Be reasonable, Sasuke. I have to report in for an important mission tomorrow. Let's head back now?"

"Sure, sure…" The boy mumbled but obediently followed Naruto as he led them back to the Uchiha district.

Even before they actually entered the district, Naruto was on alert. There was something unsettling in the air, something that felt… dangerous.

"Nii-san?" Sasuke seemed to have sensed it too, and had started to clutch Naruto's right hand tightly.

_Something_ cool and soothing trickled into his eyes, and Naruto just _knew_ that he somehow had Itachi's Sharingan activated as he roughly withdrew his hand from Sasuke's grasp. "Go find tou-san and kaa-san. Tell them to evacuate the District!"

The last sentence came out in a desperate shout when Naruto whirled around to face the source of his persisting uneasiness…

"I see that you have decided to renege on our deal," the voice that came from behind that porcelain mask was a familiar one. "But I felt generous and waited for our appointment. So what have you to say in your defense, Itachi?"

Pinching Sasuke's neck to break the boy out of his scared stupor, Naruto spoke urgently, "Go _now_, Sasuke!"

Only when he felt his 'brother' was safely out of their attack range, did Naruto coldly acknowledge the one critical factor that he'd forgotten to include in his discussion with Fugaku. "I have nothing to say to you…"

Here was a bitter man that the original Itachi had to bargain with, to assist him with killing his clan in exchange for leaving Konoha alone. Here was a scheming mastermind that led the future Sasuke down his path of blind hatred, a path that nearly included the irreparable destruction of Konoha. Here was…

"Madara."

* * *

**A/N: **Enters everyone's favorite villain. XD

Someone suggested that Madara could have posed as Itachi & went ahead with the massacre—but I suspect the guy might be too arrogant for that. Confident in his ability to take revenge on the Uchiha even on his own, he might find it more amusing to toy with them instead.


	6. ARC 1: Echoes, Past and Future

**Disclaimer:** I. NARUTO. own. not.  
**Warning:** Spoilers & wild theories abound…

* * *

-** CHAPTER 6 - Echoes, Past and Future -  
**

.

"I am _hurt_," Madara's voice took on a mocking air. "Whatever have I done to upset you, Itachi-_kun_?"

Naruto felt his skin _crawl_ at the sickening sweetness that coated the man's taunt. But now wasn't the time for him to be bothered by the older ninja's stupid tendency to act, well, stupid. It certainly wasn't his first time to come across Madara, and Naruto knew better than to take that stupidity as anything _but_ an act.

"You are indeed a fool if you believe that I will let you touch my family," Naruto found his reply came out in an eerily calm voice, one that he actually took comfort in. It was so cool, so composed, so… _Itachi_. Listening to his own words and seeing the colorful swirls of chakra all around him, Naruto could almost believe that he _was_ the thirteen-year-old ANBU captain—and that a fight with Madara would be just like another… er, training session!

"And you are a fool to think you can defy me," Madara snapped irritably, before falling back to his drawling mockery. "No armor on you today? Awn, is little Itachi feeling all grown up?"

'_Move, dammit!_' Naruto silently bit his tongue to force himself out of his own moment of panic. So what if he was facing a master of the Mangekyou Sharingan? He had done it enough times before in his own body! Um, even if that last encounter ended rather strangely, now that he thought about it…

One moment, he was in what seemed to be that Tsukuyomi world Kakashi-sensei spoke of—complete with red sky and all. But the next moment, he was back in the real world and facing a collapsed Madara. The jutsu seemed to have drained the man tremendously, and that made no sense at all. Madara had fought off even his sage techniques without too much trouble, so why would a simple Tsukuyomi be so tiring?

And just how did he break out of it?

Discreetly withdrawing four shuriken between his knuckles, Naruto pushed aside his doubts. He needed to focus on this fight. And while he disliked the idea of relying on a power that wasn't truly his own, having the Sharingan now should help him combat another Uchiha… Right?

"You should know better than to fight me with taijutsu." Madara tsked, obviously noticing his movement. "Or need I remind you?"

"?" Before Naruto could throw his weapon, his eyes caught shadowy previews of a foot coming up to kick him from the side. His body reacted reflexively just in time, twisting out of the way. Just as he saw Madara's masked face appearing from the edge of his left eye, the air behind his neck shifted and Naruto barely ducked out of a hand aiming for his right nape. But in his attempt to dodge, Madara had found an opening and kicked him squarely in the gut.

Naruto avoided the main impact at the last minute, swiftly adjusting his body during its trajectory through the air. He landed nimbly at a safe distance a few feet away, but nursing a stomach sore from the amount of attack that _did _make contact.

Damn! He _had_ seen the kick coming, but he just _couldn't_ avoid it. It must be a little similar to what Sasuke encountered when he tried to fight Lee the first time! Naruto supposed he might've gotten Itachi's Sharingan and fast reflexes, but he certainly didn't have _his_ experience in coordinating them in an actual fight.

And as he tried to slow his breath, Naruto realized that he had underestimated Madara's speed too. During their last fight in the future, all he could make out of the Madara's motion were the man's final stopping points. Naruto had hoped the Sharingan could help with spotting the man, but it seemed he had put too much stock in the bloodline limit. Damn, he really should've known better.

"You're getting rusty." Madara didn't even look like he had moved an inch. "Have your _duties_ to this village dulled you this much?"

Wordlessly, Naruto flung the shuriken he still had in his hand. A blur of hand seals later, the shuriken had transformed into crows that rapidly divided and dispersed into a big flock. His hands followed up with a familiar cross seal…

"Ah, genjutsu," Madara identified the nature of his main technique almost right away. "I should have guessed. You never liked to involve 'innocent' bystanders, do you?"

Well… that too. But in truth, Naruto hadn't really thought about what he was doing; he pretty much just _let_ his body do what it felt right. But did performing that crow genjutsu really fall under reflexes that a body could remember?

And yet, even those same crows that had daunted Naruto so much in the past failed. Melting back to the original four shuriken, they fell harmlessly to the ground before Madara. Just when Naruto was starting to wonder if he should risk performing the Rasengan in this body as a surprise attack, he found he was back in a familiar place.

Red sky. Everything else in inverted monochrome. Oh great, he was caught in Tsukuyomi again.

"It seems you hold a well-guarded loyalty to your clan," Madara's spectral figure laughed mirthlessly beside him, "Enough to give you the bravado of opposing me. So why don't you enjoy a few hours of testing your _capacity_ on them?"

Naruto felt his eyes widening. An ANBU standard-issue sword was thrust into his right hand as the bloody world came alive with dulled shades of natural colors—and he could only watch in horror as his body went through the motion of stabbing, sweeping, slicing…

Over _very_ realistic bodies of men and women he had seen in the Uchiha district.

'_This is a genjutsu_,' Naruto tried to tell himself, even as he desperately resisted those forced actions. '_Snap out of it, Naruto! You did it last time, didn't you?_'

But 'last time' had been a typical Tsukuyomi, right? This… This seemed a little different. And he wasn't just talking about the color change.

The nightmarish scene went on. At first, Naruto was still able to distract himself from the senseless slaughter; he didn't _really_ know any of those people he was supposedly killing, after all. But soon, pictures and sounds were drifting into his mind with every bloodied or pained face…

"_Coming in for another set of kunai, Itachi-kun? You sure are running through them fast!_" A man with grizzled hair gave him a teasing smile as he handed him a heavy pouch in a dimly-lit weapon shop…

His blade plunged into the unsuspecting man's belly, pulling out sloppily with intestines still stuck to its tip.

"_Your usual seaweed rice-ball again? Coming right up in a minute!_" A woman, in her late thirties, rushed out to make his order in a small eatery…

His blade slashed across the side of her neck, splattering drops of blood everywhere.

"_Don't work so hard, Itachi! You're already doing great for someone your age._" A young man patted him on the shoulders at the edge of a training field…

His blade pierced the youth's chest with calculated precision, cutting off the main arteries to the heart with one clean stroke.

"_Itachi…_"

His blade…

"Stop," Naruto heard _his_ voice cracking. He didn't know when it started, but his eyes were now filled with tears. "Stop this!!"

And yet, in his blurred vision, the faces only morphed and twisted into something even more familiar—and more terrible for Naruto.

Instead of the nameless Uchiha weapon seller, he was seeing Ten-ten's father… "_Naruto, you sure you want this many kunai in one scroll?_"

The friendly vendor asked in concern as Naruto's own kunai struck the man between the ribs…

The raven-haired waitress turned into Ayame from Ichiraku's… "_Pork ramen, again? That's the fifth one you've had in a row this week! Why not try a different flavor?_"

The girl was still smiling when his blade ended her questions with a lethal cut to her throat…

And instead of Shisui, he was faced with Iruka-sensei on that fateful night… "_I've acknowledged him as… one of my excellent students._"

The blood that flowed down from the Academy instructor's lips were from a shuriken _he_ had thrown…

"No," Naruto whispered even as his breathes came out more and more rugged. "This is not me… I would never do this …"

"_You are the pipe connecting our clan to the village…_" My close-minded chichiue. "_I've found an interesting egg…_" My aggravating ero-sennin.

Crack.

"_We are worried about you…_" My naïve kaa-san. "_Become a good man…_"My temperamental Tsunade-baachan.

Crack.

"_Nii-san, you're so good!_" My foolish otouto. "_I don't know… My body just moved…_" My foolish 'brother'.

His sword stopped before a seven-year-old Sasuke. Or was it an older version of the boy at thirteen? Sixteen? Naruto could no longer tell the difference; his vision was so blurred by this point… And yet, no matter how much the illusion was compelling him to cut down on his otouto, his 'brother,' Naruto's blade stayed. He could not kill his little brother! He could not kill his friend!

"**Really?**"

"_It would be worthless… to kill someone like you, my foolish little brother__…_" No, that was not true.

"_If you want to kill me… Curse me! Hate me!_" But if it would keep you safe…

"_I'll definitely bring Sasuke back!_" Or make you strong…

"_For me… It's one the first bonds I've ever had. That's why I must stop you!_" Yet, how he wished it would not have to come to this…

Then everything clinched.

Naruto gasped as the soothing coolness in his eyes burst into a painful burn. Trying to blink away the pain, Naruto noticed that he was back in the real world. Towering over him was Madara, with that weird-shaped Mangekyou Sharingan still spinning wildly within the mask's only eye hole.

And in the man's backdrop, was Konoha drenched in the last bloody glow of a waning sunset.

Recovering from a kneeling position he must have fallen into during the genjutsu, Naruto was surprised his voice remained even, "Is that all?"

Without turning, Naruto knew he was standing with the Uchiha district behind him. Their respective positions almost seemed symbolic: Madara was standing on Konoha's side while Naruto was on the Uchiha's. But Naruto knew that to be more or less a mere coincidence; Madara would rather destroy the village before anything else.

Although it was true that he, as Itachi, was currently defending Sasuke's clan. What an ironic twist of fate.

"So it took my Yomi to force you to use your Mangekyou Sharingan, hmm?" Madara's statement startled Naruto. So, this burning sensation in his eyes was what the activation of that doujutsu's forbidden level felt like? "You really have no need to watch your usage. You do have a brother with good potential after all."

"I am not you, Madara," Naruto heard himself speaking quietly. "I never will be. You may be able to take your brother's eyes, but not I."

"Is that so?" All traces of the childish act gone, Madara chuckled ominously. "Not even when I have him right here, Itachi?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "You didn't…"

"I thought perhaps you need a little reminder why _you_ shouldn't go back on a deal with Uchiha Madara." Said man shrugged as a clone appeared beside him.

…With a gagged Sasuke in his arms.

* * *

**A/N**: If 'Itachi' seemed weak, remember to factor in someone's lack of synch with his new body. One afternoon of shuriken practice probably can only do so much against a ninja of Madara's caliber. Naruto already got enough "help" as it was. ;)

This could be opening a can of worms, but I'm postulating the Mangekyou Sharingan activates only upon a severe guilt for losing someone extremely close to you. Madara felt guilty about his friend's death, Itachi felt guilty about Shisui's death, Kakashi felt guilty about Obito's death (desertion of Sasuke, 'last' of his teammate's clan, being the final straw), & Sasuke felt guilty about Itachi's death. Here, Naruto wasn't really awakening his own Mangekyou though; he was just 're'-awakening Itachi's. So while it might seem too easy, all is not what it seemed…

Feedback welcomed.


	7. ARC 1: Broken Promises

**Disclaimer:** I. own. NARUTO. not.  
**Warning:** Spoilers & wild theories abound…

* * *

**- CHAPTER 7 - Broken Promises -  
**

.

"…" Naruto wanted to bang his head somewhere for thinking Madara would just sit around and fight him fairly.

They were shinobi, after all. Not samurai.

And Uzumaki Naruto couldn't believe someone actually showed him up with Kage Bunshin no Jutsu…

'_I bet Itachi wouldn't make this kind of stupid mistake,_' Naruto mentally berated himself. '_Heh, if I keep this up, I'll be sending his reputation down the drain in no time._'

If it meant a vengeful Itachi could not come after him for ruining his Mr. Badass image, Naruto was even willing to hold onto this body. Otherwise, he was really getting tired of watching his every word—and pretending to have skills he did not have.

But Naruto had his pride too. Being shoved into Itachi's shoes before the Massacre, he felt almost like he _was_ placed on an S-rank mission. And Naruto abhorred the idea of failing his missions. Plus, he was so close to changing Sasuke's future too! So what if he might not fight as _smartly_ as the real Itachi? If 100% of his efforts did not cut it, then he'd just go for 200%!

Madara's impatient prod forced him to focus on his present predicament though: "So, his eyes or his life?"

Eyes? The hell? Of course he wanted Sasuke whole and alive! Why was Madara so obsessed with Sasuke anyway? The man had not strike him as the body-swapping type…

"Sasuke is only a child," Naruto started to say, but caught himself before his voice actually _pleaded_. It would be of no use with Madara, and would only blow his cover. "He has not even activated the Sharingan. Both his eyes and life… are worthless to take."

Naruto tried not to grimace at what he just said. Where did he come up with _that_ argument?

"Maybe for now." Madara seemed unconcerned. "But leave him alive and he will grow. Why don't you go ahead and eliminate the clan as we agreed? That'll give your little brother a good incentive to work all that much harder, hmm?"

No! That would be going back to square one again! Naruto was _not_ going to repeat Itachi's actions. What 'he' did in Madara's illusion did _not_ count.

With Sasuke struggling in the clone's hold though, Naruto had to hurriedly fumble for a counter. "He can hear you. How far can his hatred extend if he knows my hand was forced?"

"You can enlighten him with your—ah, what do you call it—_Tsukuyomi_?" Madara chuckled darkly. "It's not nearly as realistic as my Yomi, but I believe you get to have more… interaction with your target."

So that Yomi-whatever was _not_ Tsukuyomi; no wonder Naruto could not break out of it as easily as he did in their last fight. Still, how had Madara managed to pull off Tsukuyomi back then? It sounded like Madara was hinting at the technique being unique to Itachi…

No, no, no! Now was not the time to wonder about something so trivial! And he was not going to use Tsukuyomi on Sasuke!

Could he even use it? After all, maybe he could use it now to inform Sasuke of the truth and foil whatever plan Madara had in mind! And Kakashi-sensei did say that the originator of Tsukuyomi had total control over the illusionary world; so perhaps he could also exclude the torture component from the genjutsu?

Mind made up, Naruto closed his eyes to clear his mind down to one focused thought, '_Tsuku…_'

"Don't!" A female voice cried out, and Naruto's concentration broke.

'_Damn._' Naruto was rather annoyed as the tingles subsided from his left eye. '_I think I almost got it too!_'

But when he opened his eyes to see who had interrupted him, Naruto found something unexpected. Instead of Sasuke, Madara's clone was now apparently holding another Uchiha—someone who was dressed in the standard ANBU outfit, complete with an owl mask.

"Fukurou." The name slipped out of Naruto's mouth in a whisper.

"You don't have to handle everything yourself, Itachi!" dark eyes winked as the ANBU disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Naruto was speechless. His brain was going into overdrive just to process the sudden reemergence of memories…

#.#.#

"_Ne_, Itachi, you've been acting strange…"

He spared a glance at her before putting on his ANBU mask. "You haven't known me for long. This could be my regular behavior."

Fukurou adjusted her own mask. "I doubt it. I've heard many things about you before, you know."

"I've said it to the others." He secured the knots behind his head. "And I'll say it to you, too. It's not wise to judge others by your preconceptions and their appearances."

The young woman sighed. "I know you're still angry at the Yashiro-san for accusing you of murdering Shisui, but you didn't help by being so close-lipped about the truth."

"The truth?" He adjusted his arm guards to more comfortable positions. "What _is_ truth but a construct of individual values and beliefs? Who is to say that I have not told them _my_ truth, but they simply refused to see it?"

"You can be so insufferable sometimes, Itachi," Fukurou muttered as she too strapped on her ninjatou. "You act as if you are a separate entity from the clan."

"The clan, the clan…" He felt strangely disappointed by his girlfriend's limited perspective, but he already knew her true loyalty, did he not? "Is that all you can think about?"

"I really don't know what's bothering you," she shrugged, jumping down into the courtyard of their ANBU headquarters, "but the whole idea of having a clan is so you have people you can count on. Why don't you try to trust us more?"

"Trust?" he whispered as he led them down into a more private corridor. "Is this how you show me your trust? By constantly reminding them of my connection with the Uchiha clan here?"

Fukurou growled in annoyance. "Stop dissecting my actions all the time! It's not like they don't already know of your 'mission' thanks to yourself… and Danzou's fraction never trusted you from the start anyway."

"Perhaps." He brought them into a small room where his squad had a scheduled meeting in a few minutes. "And why haven't you reported my 'treachery' to the clan, little snitch?"

"I…" Fukurou lowered her head for a moment as he watched her hands' whitened knuckles with detached interest. "I care about you, alright?! Are you satisfied? I believe you have a valid reason behind all your contradictory actions!"

He was not sure how to respond to this direct… outburst. Certainly, they had became a little intimate physically—but he was using that relationship as much as he thought she was. "If you continue this, you may end up like Shisui."

"Stop trying to cover up for his murderer!" Her head shot up with those blood-red eyes blazing through the ANBU mask. "I know you didn't do it! Just tell me who could silence even you!"

"Ask no more, and I shall not let harm befall you." Without answering her question, he smoothly inclined his head at the shadows that were emerging from the corridor. "We should start the meeting…"

#.#.#

Driving away the last of those uncomfortable memories, Naruto finally spoke to the presence he now knew to be beside him. "This is not your battle, Fukurou."

"Of course it is," her voice retorted. "The rest of the clan is coming, too. This is obviously not just your burden."

"Foolish woman." Naruto could almost _feel_ the icy coldness in his response. "You claim to value the clan so much, and yet you are drawing them into a hopeless fight?"

"How quaint," Madara interrupted them before Fukurou could respond. "So, this is the lover you took?"

"She's irrelevant." Naruto's finger hooked a kunai from his weapon pouch. He might not be the real Itachi, but he _was_ 'wearing' the body of this girl's boyfriend—so that sort of made him responsible for her somewhat, right? Besides, she was part of Sasuke's clan, part of the people he was determined to save. And Uzumaki Naruto never went back on his word!

"Bunshin no Fukurou," Madara's clone suddenly interjected from the side. "I've heard of you. No wonder you could fool my eyes with a mere clone."

"It's nice to know my reputation precedes me…" Fukurou's smug banter ended when a kunai whizzed past her neck, drawing a thin trail of blood.

Naruto's hands were empty.

"Itachi…" The girl was obviously shocked from being threatened by her lover.

"I see you still have the _capacity_ to do what is necessary after all, Itachi." Madara chortled behind his mask. "But why not aim your shot a little more accurately next time?"

By way of a response, Naruto simply stood forward and flatly instructed the young woman behind him. "Leave, Fukurou. Tell that to the clan as well. None of you can hope to stand up against one with the Mangekyou Sharingan."

"You mean he's also got…" She recovered from her shock faster this time. "But you said you can't use your eyes for too…"

"Leave!"

"Oh, you've told her even that?"

Naruto did not know what he was trying to cut off exactly, but Madara apparently did. The man actually sounded _almost_ sorry. "Then I'm afraid she's no longer 'irrelevant', Itachi-kun. What did I tell you during your lessons?"

Who knew and who cared? But it seemed like Madara was about to use her slip as an excuse to start the Massacre…

'_I won't go back on my word!_'

Closing his right eye, Naruto quickly formed a ram seal and focused his chakra. Using what fragmented memory he could draw on, he mimicked Itachi as closely as possible, '_Amaterasu!_'

The nerves around his eye tightened with excruciating tautness, but he succeeded in flaring his field of vision with black flames. The fire closed in on Madara and his clone with blinding speed, but the two easily teleported away from their respective positions. A little more adjusted to the Sharingan now, Naruto found he could actually track the faint trajectory lines trailing their movements. Bolstered by his progress, Naruto followed the pair with his eyes without too much thought…

The flames, of course, moved with his line of sight. And so, when Madara and his clone broke off in two directions—when one landed on the Uchiha district's wall while the other grabbed Fukurou…

'_No!_' Naruto struggled to rein in the flames and felt his already burning eyes hurting even more from the backlash. The fatigue spreading through his body did not help either.

And yet, it was already too late. The flames had consumed Madara and his clone… as well as their immediate vicinity.

'_Because it's my ninja way…_' His words sounded hollow now.

The unnatural fire had died down, revealing half-molten rubble and cinders from a good portion of the district. He could only hope that the area was already evacuated, but he could not ignore the charred indention in the ground where Fukurou…

His eyes were hurting so much, so very much. Naruto closed his right eye and gingerly press down on the throbbing flesh with his fingertips. When he opened both of them again, his hands came away bloody.

"_Don't blame yourself… You didn't know it was me…_" Drip.

"_But Sakura-chan, I…_" Drip.

"_Madara fooled you… At least let me die knowing you'll be smarter next time._" Drip.

"_O…Okay. I… I'll bring Sasuke back next time for sure! And I don't go back on my word!_" Drip.

"_That's… good… Nar……_" Drip.

So close to her death, Naruto had been unable to remind her that he too had once given his word to protect everyone in Konoha—especially her. It was not the first time Naruto failed to keep his word; he just… suppressed the memories.

Fukurou's death brought everything back in a most painful reminder.

"**And to think you still call yourself a ninja**," a voice seemed to whisper accusingly next to his ears. "**What happened to 'I don't go back on my word'? What happened to your so-called 'ninja way'?**"

Well, he had to focus on what was more important! Ero-sennin's death taught him that…

"**Oh? Like letting everyone else die while you run away, Destined Child?**"

No! He never wanted that!

However, looking at the ruins of the Uchiha district, Naruto could not help but see a shadow of his destroyed Konoha. Maybe that _was_ all his actions amounted to?

"I'm sorry, Fukurou," he croaked in defeat as his body swayed unsteadily. '_Sakura-chan…_'

Uzumaki Naruto had broken his promise.

* * *

**A/N**: Ku ku ku… Do you think Madara is gone? ;)


	8. ARC 1: A New Kaleidoscope

**Disclaimer:** I. own. NARUTO. not.  
**Warning:** Spoilers & wild theories abound…

* * *

-** CHAPTER 8 - A New Kaleidoscope -  
**

.

Staring at the charred ground, a strange calm settled in Naruto's mind. He was beyond grief. He was beyond despair. There had been so few of his precious people left in the future; how could he change anything with his actions here in the past? What had happened… would happen.

Ha, that'd be Neji's fatalist view speaking though! If he never fought, how could he hope to gain anything? So what _if_ people made mistakes? Good ninjas would just learn from theirs and get back on track!

'_But what would a good ninja do about broken promises?_'

Well, no one really taught Naruto how to deal with this sort of problem; it wasn't covered in any of the rules or codes. But then, when had those things ever mattered to Naruto? In fact, when had anyone _tried_ to teach him anything before Iruka-sensei came along?

So Uzumaki Naruto would just stick by his own solution as always. He'd learn from this broken promise. He'd use this… guilt, to ensure nothing like this would ever happen again!

True, what had happened—happened. But what hadn't been _confirmed_ to have happened—he still had a chance to change! In the worst-case scenario, he might've already lost Sasuke's entire clan due to his own stupidity. He might have even lost Sasuke himself. Even then, he still had the rest of Konoha to protect.

And in the best-case scenario, Fukurou had already given Sasuke the chance to warn and evacuate his clan. If Fugaku was smart enough, he would've alerted the village too. Now was _not_ the time to cling stubbornly to something as meaningless as 'clan pride'; now _was_ the time to extend their trust to Konoha and renew their founding solidarity!

Either way, Naruto had his bone to pick with a certain shameless man first…

"Bastard." Hearing such a crude word spoken in Itachi's toneless voice was actually kind of surreal, but Naruto no longer cared. "You did that on purpose."

The edge of his vision rippled, revealing a pair of sandaled feet. "Interesting, have you gained a technique for countering _Takamahara_?"

Wiping away the blood from his eyes, Naruto looked up at Madara impassively. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Their eyes connected for a moment before the older ninja started to clap. "Bravo, Itachi! You managed to evolve your Mangekyou Sharingan without taking your brother's eyes after all. Did that girl really mean that much to you?"

"Evolve?" So was that why Madara wanted Sasuke? To take his brother's eyes for evolving this accursed bloodline? Naruto's fingers brushed against his eyes briefly. "No, she just reminded me…"

Channeling some chakra to his eyes, Naruto hissed darkly, "…That it is no use being civil with you. _Hachiman!_"

Unlike with Amaterasu, the pain in his right eyes called forth an inferno of white flames this time. However, rather than attacking Madara head on as a single entity, the fire separated into eight distinctively dove-like forms.

"Ooh, fancy-looking." Madara did not even bother to move out of the way as the fiery birds closed rank around him. "Seems rather similar to Housenka no Jutsu though… I do hope it's more powerful than a C-rank fire-element jutsu?"

Naruto did not bother to reply. This was his first time executing a Mangekyou Sharingan technique by himself, without relying on Itachi's past experience. He could not afford to lose his concentration.

As they pressed in on their target, the doves elongated—and morphed into thin, banderol-like sheets of fire that licked around Madara's body before solidifying in a tight bind. Strangely, Madara offered no resistance. In fact, he was examining the ethereal fire around him with artist-like interest. "Hmm, and what does this technique do? It does not appear to have as much destructive power as your Amaterasu."

And true enough, it looked as if the fire had simply restricted Madara's movement. Other than that, the eerily silent flames did not seem to cause any real damage to the man. Not even burns.

But Naruto only softened his expression into a mysterious smile after seeing the jutsu fully activated. "In terms of physical harm, perhaps it does not. But why don't you check your chakra level now?"

"So what if it drains my chakra…" Madara started as he moved to slip out of the bind—no doubt trying to use that Takamahara technique of his. "Ah, I see why you're so cocky now. This is a space-time seal on top of a chakra absorption technique."

Unfortunately, the chakra-absorption aspect only worked on another Uchiha—and the sealing component was also only useful against a ninja that relied heavily on space-time techniques. Of course, Naruto was not about to reveal his technique's weaknesses to an enemy…

So he merely nodded as if in satisfaction. "Knowing your skills with space-time travel, I hypothesized you must have escaped from Amaterasu by moving backwards to the time before its activation. If I restrict your ability to manipulate either time or space, you would no longer be able to avoid the hit."

"Sound deduction." Despite being at a disadvantage, Madara seemed unflappable. "And this technique feeds off my own chakra once it makes contact, hmm?"

"Yes, that is the beauty of it." Naruto did not deny the man's inference. He was, however, a little concerned with what else Madara still had up his sleeve. "It is not as draining as Amaterasu."

"You've come a long way, Itachi." Madara sighed almost in pity. "But you're still too much of a pacifist. Even this technique reeks of your disgustingly protective streak. Let me show you why you are the disciple, and not the master… _Ashihara_!"

'_The mortal realm_?' Naruto wondered at the name declared by Madara, even as he continued to keep himself on guard. He had known that Hachiman could absorb chakra at a rapid rate, but could not disable the victim from executing bloodline-based jutsus. It would not surprise Naruto if Madara happened to have too much chakra to care about a drain for now either.

And yet, Naruto could not see anything out of place in his surroundings… at first. However, Naruto soon realized his mistaken assumption when he was suddenly surrounded by shackled members of the Uchiha clan…

"Taking hostages again?" Naruto gritted out in frustration. Argh! This guy… "Are you out of tricks, Madara?"

"All's fair in a war." Madara's exposed eye crinkled. "And it _is_ effective against you, isn't it?"

Narrowing his own eyes, Naruto appraised the group in front of him before giving his reluctant conclusion. "They are not illusions."

"Naturally." Madara was not hiding his smugness in that voice now. "Yomi creates an illusionary world in which the target's mind can be warped and damaged. Your Tsukuyomi had imitated the effect well enough. Takamahara creates a reserved space-time pocket through which I may travel anywhere with ease; your Hachiman had only managed to seal the result rather than recreating it."

"…" Nonetheless, Naruto did not release his technique's hold on Madara.

Madara actually summoned a chair out of nowhere and sat down as if he was holding an amiable talk with some close acquaintances over tea. "Ashihara, now, is a combination of these two techniques. You _are_ in an illusion, but it has been so solidly reinforced with its own basis of time and space—that it is as good as a separate reality. By summoning the necessary 'elements' from outside, this does _become_ the mundane world as you know it."

"So if I die here, I would truly die?" Naruto asked quietly, though his mind was racing to come up with a counter to this supposedly invincible technique. It was still fundamentally an _illusion_, which suggested an inevitable dependence on its originator's mental concentration…

"Oh, I would not kill you," Madara chuckled as he pointed at the crowd headed by Fugaku. "But _we_ can kill them. It is all part of our original agreement, is it not? Did you not ask to have the annihilation of the Uchiha clan in exchange for my mercy on Konoha?"

Glancing at the silent clan head, Naruto wondered if Madara's technique had turned all the Uchiha into mindless mutes or docile zombies of some sort. "And you would just let me live? Even knowing my hostility towards you?"

"Only a strong master can control a strong servant," Madara shrugged, unconcerned. "I have every confidence that I can subdue you if need be. Does not our situation already confirm this fact?"

Closing his eyes briefly, Naruto surreptitiously called up the last of his chakra as he went along with Madara's banter for the moment, "And yet I can't help but notice you have not drawn in the rest of Konoha as well. It is rather curious… particularly knowing your hatred for the village. It makes me wonder—are you, perhaps, lacking in… _chakra_?"

"I must admit," Madara finally spoke with a slight hint of anger, "that your Hachiman has its merits. If I do not have strong chakra, it would have drained me by now. But alas for you, it is not enough to prevent me from bringing in your treacherous clan."

"And I must also admit," Naruto's lips, too, twisted maliciously as he gathered his chakra, "that your Ashihara has its merits. But you should have studied the old lore better. You doomed your technique to failure by naming it after a place that had once been conquered by…"

"_Takemikazuchi_!" Ignoring the blood that began to trail down from his lips, Naruto suppressed a groan as the ghostly sword emerged out of his chest.

As more of the weapon was exposed, it quickly became obvious that this sword was unnaturally long—with a thin and straight blade, unlike most of the traditional katana. When it was finally detached from his body, Naruto gripped the hilt and took a brute, downward swing. A crack immediately appeared where the spiritual sword's edge hit the illusionary ground, followed by another crack… then another crack… Soon, the fissure lines had spread all around them in mere seconds even as Madara stood seemingly stupefied.

'_Heh, no technique is invincible_.' Naruto smiled grimly as he watched the sword hungrily devoured the last of Madara's mental construct.

…And the so-called "reality" of Ashihara shattered.

It was almost as if a spell had been lifted from the Uchiha, for they immediately struggled out of their disappearing shackles and scattered. Naruto even thought he had spotted Sasuke in his fleeing mother's arms…

However, some of the clan members did stay behind. Even bending over from the shock of releasing _two _Mangekyou Sharingan techniques at once, Naruto could still see all of these remaining Uchiha bore the badge of Konoha Military Police. In fact, they were headed by Itachi's father, Uchiha Fugaku.

'_Are they going to arrest me now?_' He wondered, before moving his eyes sluggishly in the direction of Madara's kneeling form. It seemed that neither of them were enjoying the backlash of their techniques. _'I guess Itachi deserved it, but can't they at least do it after Madara's gone for good?_'

Before he could completely kneel over, though, someone pulled him up. Too tired to verify if he was in hostile hands, Naruto muttered his thanks before looking up…

"Tsukuyomi." A pair of pinwheel-patterned Mangekyou Sharingan was all Naruto saw before he lost consciousness…

* * *

**A/N**: This is just my personal theory, but I'm assuming the Mangekyou Sharingan could give unique techniques to each bearer. They may be fundamentally similar (like Kakashi's Kamui vs. Madara's unnamed space-time technique), but each person can add his/her personal touch.

In Japanese Shinto belief, the world has 3 divisions: _Takamahara_ (where the gods dwell), _Ashihara no Nakatsukuni _(where the mortals dwell), & _Yomi no Kuni_ (where the deceased dwell). These correspond roughly to the Western worldview of heaven, earth, & underworld. Since Kishimoto still hasn't named Madara's technique(s), I've adapted the names of those three realms for the rather prideful Uchiha's doujutsu.

Legend also has it that the sun goddess _Amaterasu_ (let's not go into the gender debate) once sent her general _Takemikazuchi_ to help her descendants conquer Ashihara no Nakatsukuni. The warrior god easily succeeded & slayed many native gods with his spiritual sword _Futsunomitama_; in fact, the sword was so potent on its own that the god simply sent it instead of himself when Amaterasu's children sought divine help again later on.

_Hachiman_ (not to be confused with HachimOn) is another Shinto war god. He is also believed to be Japan's divine protector (the aspect I took for Naruto's technique) & attributed with the Mongol's failure to invade the country a few centuries back—among other things. His name literally means 'eight banderols' & his messenger is the pigeon/dove. Also, the tomoe pattern so closely associated with the Uchiha is actually a symbol of Hachiman.

Backgrounds aside, what do people think of this doujutsu battle? I wasn't sure if traditional taijutsu/ninjutsu/genjutsu was really the way to go for a big confrontation between Madara & 'Itachi,' both of whose ultimate powers possibly lie with the Mangekyou Sharingan… so this is what I ended up with. Hope I haven't turned my story into too much of a fantasy. XD

Finally, I'm surprised to see people missing Fukurou. Yes, she's loosely based on the lover canon!Itachi supposedly killed during the Massacre. I originally felt it to be far too early to ask about pairings (& it wouldn't be a major part of this story anyway), but do people _want_ her alive as Naruto's companion later on?

Feedback welcomed.


	9. ARC 1: Itachi's Endgame

**Disclaimer:** I. not. own. NARUTO.  
**Warning:** Spoilers & wild theories abound…

* * *

**- CHAPTER 9 - Itachi's Endgame -  
**

.

"Wha…?"

Naruto was still disoriented when he stumbled into Tsukuyomi's color-inverted world. Great, just what was with him _and_ Tsukuyomi? He seemed to be caught by this doujutsu all the time. It was getting real old, real fast. And who could've used this technique on him? From what Madara implied, Naruto had thought it was unique to Itachi!

He soon had his answer when a soft voice drew his attention from the back, "Greetings, Uzumaki Naruto."

Whirling around in alarm, Naruto saw that he was standing at the foot of a short staircase leading up to one wide-spanning platform. The chipped platform itself held a side table and another dilapidated throne, with two tomoe marks carved on either side of its back. A very familiar figure was sitting snugly on the throne, against a backdrop of seven tomoe marks carved around the kanji for 'fox'.

It was a person with pinwheel-patterned eyes.

"Uchiha Itachi," Naruto practically breathed out the name.

And yet, this Itachi didn't really have the same appearance as what Naruto saw in the mirror earlier. No, this person was noticeably taller and sharper in facial features. But biological differences aside, the young man was also wearing a cloak embroidered with cloud motifs and buttoned at the middle. An Akatsuki cloak.

Right! This was just as Itachi appeared to him during their last encounter in the forest!

As if in affirmation, Itachi nodded as he spoke quietly, "And so we meet again, Naruto-kun. I imagine you have questions."

"Questions?" Naruto felt his body starting to shake uncontrollably. "You _bet_ I have questions! Was it you who threw me into this goddam situation of yours? Why aren't you fucking dealing with it _yourself_?"

Itachi's expression never changed as Naruto vented all the frustration he had built up during this trying day. The Akatsuki member even waited for a moment after he finished before speaking again, "Done? Then perhaps we can talk."

Watching that ever-composed face staying, well, composed… Naruto almost wanted to start another rant again. However, perhaps role-playing Itachi for a day _had_ left some mark on him after all—because Naruto actually found himself calmly replying with: "Fine, talk."

Naruto thought he saw a faint smile crossing Itachi's lips, but it passed too quickly for him to be sure. "After my death, I assume Sasuke had fallen completely under Madara's sway?"

The question sounded rather awkward in his ears, considering that it implied Naruto was somehow talking with a _dead_ man. "Yeah, how did you guess?"

Itachi closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they had gone completely black—or, in Tsukuyomi's world, white. "I had suspected Madara's plans for Sasuke since he discovered my debilitating sickness, but I had also hoped my foolish little brother would have known how to see past illusions wove by words."

"Sickness?" Naruto immediately latched onto this new information.

Leaning back into the throne, Itachi sighed. "Yes, sickness. For years, to maintain my various covers, I have suppressed my… emotional displays with the assistance of a substance I acquired and adapted from Sasori-san. In trace amounts and over short periods of time, it is a convenient tool; in large amounts and over extended periods of time, it is a deadly poison."

"You laced your kunai with the same formula," Naruto realized as he recalled his inability to properly form facial expressions throughout the day.

Itachi chuckled lightly. "Yes. I had to ensure that you did not blow your cover right away. It worked, did it not?"

"How did you even know that I'd use your kunai?" Naruto asked uncertainly, although he had some strong suspicions…

"I knew you would check to see if you were in a genjutsu when thrust into the past without warning." Itachi's perceptive eyes seemed to bore into his very soul. "It is common ninja practice. Furthermore, my past self would have ensured you picked the right weapon."

Naruto massaged his eyes in an attempt to distract himself from a growing apprehension. "Wait. Hold on. You're saying that I cohabited with _your_ past self in _your_ body? How come I was not kicked out right away?"

"That would defeat the purpose." Itachi sounded a little annoyed. "You deduced this already, Naruto-kun. Do not give me that act."

Biting his lips, Naruto tried to ask again, "So you planned for me to take your place on the day of Uchiha Clan Massacre? This is that 'power' you hoped I'd never have to use?"

"Yes, in a way," Itachi's eyes took on a distant look. "If no Uchiha could solve this ill-fated deadlock, then perhaps someone who cared enough for one could. All he required would be my knowledge and my position in the clan."

"But you didn't even ask me!" Naruto felt his anger reemerging. "I had people back in the future. People that I had to protect! You just pulled me here without ever getting my consent!"

"Yet, you must have realized it too," Itachi was unfazed. "You and Konoha were heading for certain destruction, no? Madara must have begun to attack the village openly. He must have attempted to control the Kyuubi sealed in you… Otherwise, I would have never been reawakened."

"Reawakened?" Naruto was not sure if he wanted to hear what Itachi had to say next.

"Reawakened," the Akatsuki member repeated in confirmation. "During our last encounter, I had given you myself, one of Uchiha Itachi's shadow clones under the guise of a _Karasu Bunshin no Jutsu_. I would have remained dormant until your death—unless Madara succeeded in reactivating his contract with Kyuubi."

"But…" Naruto shuddered at the thought of having contained another person's clone for so long. "How did you pull me into the past? I didn't even know it could be done!"

Itachi laughed quietly; Naruto was a little bothered at how similar the sound was to what _he_ gave to Sasuke just that afternoon. "Forgive me, Naruto-kun, but it is amusing to hear that I have outdone even you in terms of thinking outside the accepted conventions."

"Well, I'm _still_ waiting for an answer!" Naruto was not going to admit how childish he sounded with that retort.

Still with the barest hint of a smile on his face, Itachi asked patiently, "I believe you have felt the connection that existed between an Uchiha with Mangekyou Sharingan and a unique space-time pocket?"

Thinking back to the weird way that he sensed Madara's escape from his Amaterasu, Naruto nodded. "Yeah, so?"

"Like it or not, that pocket is shared by all of us." Itachi's lips thinned. "It is the basis for Madara's Takamahara and Yomi—as well as Kakashi-san's Mangekyou Sharingan technique, if Deidara's description were to be trusted. I have incorporated it as part of my Tsukuyomi, if only for illusionary effects; nonetheless, its time-independent property is sufficient for me to carry out my covert operation. When Madara attempted to trap you with Yomi in the future, I was able to enter the pocket and execute Tsukuyomi with chakra leached off his original illusion…"

"That was why he seemed capable of executing Tsukuyomi!" Naruto felt his eyes widening in realization. "And why he tired so easily! I was wondering why one technique can drain him like that!"

"Yes, he would have certainly suspected something amiss by the time he recovered." Itachi conceded. "However, he would not have another clone in the past to smooth over a jump across such long stretches of time. Even if Madara discovered my approach and attempted it, he would have died in the process. For all intents and purposes, the future you had known died the moment I came back with your captured mind."

Naruto could only gape. "Um… okay. But you had _another_ clone in the past?"

"I never trusted Madara." Itachi lifted his right hand casually as if to examine the ring worn on its third finger. "I planted a clone in his Yomi as soon as he showed me that technique twice. Being one of lesser experience, my clone merged with me immediately after we made contact in the space-time pocket. By taking his place, I gained an anchor in this time."

Naruto did not know what to say about Itachi's level of paranoia.

The other ninja obviously did not expect a response either, for he continued his reminiscence without a pause, "When Madara approached me after I joined ANBU, I knew he had an ulterior purpose other than showing me how to reach the 'height of my capacity'. He had other candidates in the clan—_better _candidates. Shisui clearly had been his first choice, but Madara tossed him aside just like another piece of trash after…"

Naruto watched in silence as Itachi's emotionless mask cracked for just a minute—but it was enough for him to see how much pain the man was carrying around underneath. "Madara even forced me to watch the whole thing. To awaken my Mangekyou Sharingan, he said. Could you imagine how much of a mockery that was? I only gained the power needed to protect Shisui against Madara after he died… Even then, Madara did not trust me… Even then, I was under his constant surveillance…"

He did not even notice when he did it, but Naruto eventually found himself next to Itachi and putting a hand on the other ninja's imperceptibly shaking shoulders. "I… understand too. Madara had conned me into pushing Sakura-chan to her death and… Heh, I bet he never thought I'd get a pair of Mangekyou Sharingan out of it! I'll make him regret playing with everyone's lives, just you wait and see!"

Itachi's grip on the edge of his cloak relaxed, and his face also smoothed back to its original composure. "Yes, that is the issue I drew you in here to warn you about."

"?" Naruto blinked.

"The Mangekyou Sharingan," Itachi stood up suddenly from his throne, "has a very unique characteristic. From the day you awaken it, your eyes begin a slow descent into darkness. The more you use them, the quicker the process moves."

Naruto knew he had been mimicking Itachi for too long when he discovered he actually _understood_ what the other ninja was hinting at. "So these eyes would go blind if I use them too much? Well, I'll just keep them as a last resort then!"

"But can you resist the temptation, Naruto-kun?" Even without activating his Sharingan, Itachi's eyes seemed to have gained a fierce intensity. "You are very talented to have acquired two techniques so quickly after gaining those eyes… Can you truly give them up this easily? What if I tell you that your blindness can be avoided by taking Sasuke's eyes?"

"Pfft, what do you take me for? Orochimaru or Madara?" Naruto was disgusted by the mere suggestion of _that_ idea. "I've fought long enough without _any_ doujutsu, and I definitely don't need to use a power based on someone else's pain!"

"If anyone could say 'no' to such an accursed power, it would have to be you… wouldn't it?" Itachi seemed to study Naruto's eyes for a moment, before quirking his lips ever so slightly. "In some ways, you are just as admirable as your father."

Seeing Naruto's blank look, Itachi chuckled again. "Ah, don't tell me you haven't suspected? You have had more than a decade to figure out who sired you."

"The hair and eye kinda give it away," Naruto muttered grudgingly. "Yeah, you're talking about the Fourth Hokage, aren't you?"

"Yes. Quite a hero, he was." Itachi looked somewhat wistful. "He could have sealed the Kyuubi away much more permanently… but he chose you to carry some of its powers."

That got Naruto's attention, "You know why he made me a _jinchuuriki_?"

"I believe I have some excellent ideas." Itachi slowly released his hold on the cloak. "Anyone with Uchiha blood has the potential to control a Tailed Beast—and with enough power, even one as powerful as the Kyuubi no Youko. Had Yondaime-sama not sealed away the demon's yin chakra with the Death God and designed your seal to leach away at its yang chakra, Madara could have easily summoned the Kyuubi back at full power as soon as he recovered from his exhaustion. Konoha would forever be plagued with the demonic threat, and your generation would have never known peace."

"Oh," Naruto subconsciously looked at his belly—and found that he was still 'wearing' Itachi's younger form. "Hey! How come I've still got your… well, you know…?"

At this point, Itachi's expression turned solemn and he bowed deeply without warning. "My sincerest apologies, Naruto-kun. I realize I never gave you the choice, but I must ask you to carry on my role from this moment onwards."

Unsettled by Itachi's submissive display, Naruto almost did not comprehend what was being said to him. "What? You mean I'm stuck in your body like this? But… but what about your past self?"

"He is currently residing in the shadow clone you created earlier." Itachi's head remained bowed. "In fact, it was he who warned the clan before Fukurou intercepted Sasuke—and used the Tsukuyomi on you. So when he disperses later, he will simply become an additional part of your knowledge and experience."

Struggling to think back to his fight with Madara, Naruto had to comb through his memories for a good minute before realizing which _part_ Itachi was talking about. "Oh! That was _why_ I felt compelled to use Kage Bushin no Jutsu then? You… you were forcing me to activate your Mangekyou Sharingan and learn the techniques on my own, weren't you? You planned out everything!"

"It is a necessary skill for an ANBU captain," Itachi replied gravely. "And an essential one if you wish to become the Hokage, Naruto-kun."

Decidedly uncomfortable with this whole bowing non-sense, Naruto quickly capitulated, "Alright, alright, apologies accepted. I'll do this! It's all for Sasuke, right?"

Straightening up, Itachi shook his head slightly. "I've attempted to help my brother in the future, but it seemed to have done more harm than good. I still hope you would watch over him, but I would appreciate it if you could also focus some of your attention on protecting my clan and Konoha—just as you have declared to my father."

Naruto fidgeted. "Um, sure… How did you know what I said to your father?"

Itachi smiled gently, and Naruto was surprised that he was not intimidated by the Akatsuki member's unusual expression. "Because, when you were caught in Madara's Yomi earlier, my past self informed me of your actions. It had been his mission to determine whether or not you are worthy of my sacrifice."

"Your sacrifice?" Naruto had a bad feeling about where this was going.

"You have already assimilated some of my memories." Itachi turned to walk down from the platform. "Some of my personality will inevitably influence you… but not enough to distort your dominant character. However, it has created a unique bond between us—not unlike one born of brotherhood."

Naruto felt the chakra around him shifting. Knowing from Itachi's own experience that the illusion was about to be ended, he hurriedly asked, "Wait, what are you trying to say? What _is_ your sacrifice?"

"I will break the curse on the Uchiha clan," Itachi replied enigmatically without turning back. As the Akatsuki member reached the end of those stairs, the blood-red sky began to melt into its natural darkness. The Tsukuyomi world had collapsed.

Naruto barely heard Itachi's last whispers before the illusion faded away completely…

"Be a good Hokage, and let Uchiha Itachi be the last person to achieve the Eien no Mangekyou Sharingan."

* * *

**A/N**: Here are the answers everyone's been waiting for! XD Well, at least some. 'Eien no Mangekyou Sharingan' = Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan… So any guesses on what Itachi's endgame is truly all about? ;)

I think I've found a compromise for the two sides of opinion on Fukurou—I'll leave you to guess what I mean. :D


	10. ARC 1: Before Sunrise

**Disclaimer:** I. not. own. NARUTO.  
**Warning:** Spoilers & wild theories abound…

* * *

**- CHAPTER**** 10 - Before Sunrise -  
**

.

'_Eien no Mangekyou Sharingan?_' The phrase stirred something in Naruto's memories, or was it Itachi's? Man, when this crisis was all over, he'd really have to sit down and sort out his mind.

But back in the real world, Naruto faced a more pressing problem: his consciousness was being besieged by waves upon waves of overwhelming fatigue. Using three Mangekyou Sharingan techniques in one night had been taxing, especially for a novice like him. Thankfully, his eyes were no longer hurting—but Naruto knew it was probably only because he was already too depleted in chakra to maintain the regular Sharingan, let alone the Mangekyou Sharingan.

As he slowly regained his bearing though, Naruto noticed that he was still surrounded by members of the Konoha Military Police; however, he could now see they were standing in a protective formation around him. Also, instead of Itachi's clone, an officer had taken over the role of supporting him and was currently slinging Naruto's right arm over his shoulder.

Fugaku, too, had already came up to examine him. Knowing how exhausted he must appear, Naruto wasn't too surprised when the man turned to instruct his subordinates, "Take him to the evacuation area."

"No," Naruto heard his voice rasping out hoarsely. Scanning about until he spotted 'Itachi' standing in front of Madara, he continued, "Please permit me to remain. I cannot leave Madara with only a clone."

"What use are you in your current condition?" Fugaku asked rather harshly, but Naruto thought he could almost discern the concern underlying those words.

So Naruto felt himself smiling unsuccessfully in response. "Nonetheless, I can be a more… convincing bluff if worse comes to worst."

He expected rebukes. Or rather, _Itachi_ expected scathing remarks about his supposed 'arrogance'. Strangely, none came. Blearily peering at the Uchiha clansmen nearby, Naruto wondered what had 'his' clone told them to inspire such… fear? Was it fear he saw in those red eyes? Naruto was admittedly confused. '_Alright, Itachi, just what have you done?_'

However, Fugaku's sigh quickly drew back his attention. "Very well. Just make sure you stay close to _us_."

Naruto was unsure what to make of that stressed word at first, but a distant glint quickly told him all he needed to know.

'_So the ANBU came after all?_' Naruto pondered as he identified hidden masks in various 'blind spots' across the street from the Uchiha district. The ninjas had chosen their positions well; but there must have been a newbie or two stupid enough to let moonlight expose their positions this easily… Or was it intentional? Maybe they _wanted_ the clan to notice their presence?

Did Sandaime-jiichan send them? But that would make no sense. If 'Itachi' managed to inform him of this situation, the Old Man would know better than to send any ninja without active Sharingan as reinforcement; it would be… difficult to fight against the Mangekyou Sharingan otherwise. Besides, if the Hokage wanted first-hand information on Madara that badly, he had a safer method with that spying _Toumegane no Jutsu_ of his…

That meant these must be Danzou's _Ne_.

Fugaku must have came to the same conclusion. So inclining his head stiffly, Naruto allowed himself to be carried towards a more strategic location among the district's ruins. It was one thing to observe a fight, and quite another matter to get caught in the crossfire.

But halfway in their walk, nearly everyone was frozen by a sudden blast of sinister chakra that filled the night sky.

'_This chakra…_' Naruto's eyes widened despite his exhaustion; he had grown up alongside this kind of chakra for too long to mistake its origin. '_How had Madara summoned Fuzz-ball? This isn't supposed to happen! Where did you screw up, Itachi?_'

The officer beside him probably remembered the original Kyuubi Attack, for Naruto could feel the involuntary tremor being passing onto his own body from the man's shoulder. "Captain, it is perhaps better if we leave for the evacuation area immediately…?"

Strangely, Fugaku only turned to Naruto in silent inquiry.

Realizing his utter inability to call up even another ounce of chakra without snuffing out his own life, Naruto sighed inaudibly as he used what he had came to think of as his 'Itachi voice'. "If I may suggest… With the _Ne_ present, someone from the clan must remain to prove our innocence from Madara's plot—it may as well be me, an ANBU. It would be… profitable if we demonstrate a willingness to defend Konoha against the traitor."

Fugaku nodded. "A valid suggestion. Squad One stays with me and Itachi; the rest of you return to our camp and ensure no harm comes to the others."

"_Hai_, Captain!" Those assigned to retreat did not need another incentive to activate their _Shunshin no Jutsu_.

The following minutes were one of the most agonizing times in Naruto's life. Completely helpless to do anything after being taken behind a barricade of fallen beams, he watched as a blond child stumbled onto the scene. Encased by a thick layer of visible chakra, the boy displayed feral whiskers and long canines. Those red eyes glowed noticeably in the dark, even if they were too far for Naruto to tell if their pupils were slitted or not. However, he _could_ tell that the child seemed oblivious to the surroundings, and moved with a blank expression as if in sleep-walk.

It was… well, himself.

Naruto wanted to close his eyes to shut out the sight, but that would be meaningless. He could not deny what he saw. The surrealism of his situation was never as obvious to him as at that moment. But how did Madara control Uzumaki Naruto? Had the seal weakened prematurely? Had Madara reactivated his contract with Kyuubi ahead of time? What the _hell_ was Itachi doing?

This would get so messy later on—Naruto could just _see_ it. Danzou and the Council would have a field day with how the 'demon brat' lost control so _easily_, probably citing the incident as a reason for stronger measures for 'containment'…

'_Not if I have anything to say about it!_' Naruto's lips thinned as he forced himself to refocus on Madara and 'Itachi'.

Freed from Hachiman, Madara obviously still had enough chakra to quickly grab Naruto—um, his _chibi_ version—after teleporting next to the child. Gah, distinguishing between his past self and himself was going to be so confusing… Naruto could feel a headache coming on, and not from his own weariness.

He must have jinxed himself with that last thought though, because Naruto felt another wave of drowsiness hit him at that moment. He had to struggle _just_ to remain conscious; still, he could already feel his senses starting to abandon him…

In his dimming vision, Naruto thought he saw flames flaring over Itachi as a skeleton-like apparition. Madara, on the other hand, was guiding Kyuubi-'Naruto' with practiced ease—masterfully extending and twisting that tail of demonic chakra to sweep over a large area. Though he might despise the man, Naruto could not help but be amazed by how much damage Madara managed to inflict with a _one_-tailed transformation.

On the other hand, Itachi had 'fleshed out' that skeleton spirit—literally. A name was just on the tip of his tongue, but it would not come forth…

"_Very good, Itachi. Now that you have mastered your two techniques, it is time for you to develop your third._"

"_A third technique can be derived from one pair of Mangekyou Sharingan? It was my understanding that we can only power one technique per eye._"

"_Of course. Read__ b__etween the lines, Itachi. 'An eye of anguish thy spirit shall endure, an eye of torment thy flesh shall suffer, and__ a vision of despair thou shalt reap for thy conceited…'_"

But, wasn't Itachi still in the process of completing his third technique? It was rather hard for Naruto to remember at the moment, particularly when he was so tired… so very tired.

What had Itachi planned to call his third technique though? Something Su… Well, he had named his first two techniques 'Amaterasu' and 'Tsukuyomi', so he probably would complete the set with a third member of the Three Noble Ones…

"_Susanoo_," Naruto whispered, half-deliriously. Why was Itachi using a Mangekyou Sharingan technique against a _one_-tailed transformation?

His eyelids had fallen so far, and covered so much of his vision… that everything he saw seemed to take on a blurry, dream-like quality. He thought he saw a giant red fox fighting a giant red yamabushi—but that was ridiculous, right? The fox seemed to swishing its tail about, only to be intercepted by a shield at every turn… He also thought he saw two figures embedded in those two spirits. Was it just a trick of the light, or was the figure in the yamabushi growing fainter with every clash of the tail on the shield?

"_You cannot hope to win… chakra__…_"

"…c_lone… only…_"

"…s_urrounded… If you stay… won't escape…_"

"_…isn't the end!_"

"…w_ill… if you insist…_"

Words and broken sentences continued to drift into his ears, long after his vision failed. They rushed at him, demanding for his understanding. And yet, Naruto had trouble even making sense of the syllables. The vowels and consonants… all of them were becoming more and more disjointed with every passing second.

When those sounds finally stopped coming, Naruto found sweet oblivion…

.

Someone covered his face.

Whatever material they were using, it was soaked with very warm water. Underneath the cloth, Naruto could _almost_ feel the palpable steam easing the tension out of him. And indeed, from facial muscles to skin pores, he was starting to feel rather relaxed. Normally, this would have soothed him. In fact, it _should_ sooth him…

So why did he still feel something was… _off_?

The cloth suddenly left, and Naruto nearly hissed aloud from the coldness that rushed onto his face. He thought he heard the sound of dripping water, before the cloth returned with its warmth. This time, his face was being gently wiped—and Naruto had to make an effort to maintain his pretense of being unconscious.

He needed time to think. What happened? His last memories were a little hazy, but he recalled enough to remember Madara having somehow summoned his younger self and released a portion of Fuzz-ball's power. Argh, did the man not know that much demonic chakra was enough to seriously cripple a six-year-old?

Madara probably did, but didn't care.

Well, that wasn't anything new to Naruto—but it still angered him. And speaking of _his_ situation, what happened to Itachi? Had… his clone dispelled? Tentatively, Naruto took a peek at his memories. He quickly dismissed those that belonged to Uzumaki Naruto, stumbled over ones assimilated from Uchiha Itachi earlier, and he…

He found twenty-one years of another man's life.

Specifically, it was twenty-one years of an S-rank criminal's life overlapping thirteen years of an ANBU captain's life. In retrospect, Naruto could tell that he initially only had access to the latter when he arrived. Itachi's past self had barely just mastered Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi; he had known nothing about the execution of Susanoo—or the modifications his future self had made to the technique. Nor had he known the full details of Itachi's final plan.

It was intentional, of course. To preserve the chakra constituent of his Mangekyou Sharingan, Itachi had to minimize extraneous influences on his past self's psyche. And to ensure Naruto could develop his own Mangekyou Sharingan, Itachi's past self had self-exiled to a shadow clone before Madara could start a doujutsu battle. Given the Yomi technique in Madara's arsenal, he knew Naruto would eventually assimilate the most powerful memories of a thirteen-year-old ANBU captain. It would close the gap between them without making them _precisely_ the same.

It would effectively turn Naruto into an alternate/brother personality of Uchiha Itachi.

After exiting Tsukuyomi, Itachi had absorbed his past self and consolidated his memories of Mangekyou Sharingan activation—past and future. So when he purposefully used up the last of his chakra from the future that sustained him, Itachi transferred over the last of his claim to his own eyes. His entire plan had been based on loopholes in how the Mangekyou Sharingan was said to be made permanent; it was designed to give Naruto, his spiritual brother, his physical eyes and unique chakra pathways for activating Mangekyou Sharingan.

'_Foolish, foolish Itachi… Why did you go into so much trouble? Why not just take over this body and relive your life?_' Naruto could feel a familiar guilt-fuelled heat washing over his eyes—but was that not precisely part of Itachi's plan?

"_The Kaleidoscope will eventually lose its light_…" He had told Sasuke.

"_For decades, the Uchiha killed their friends to obtain the Mangekyou Sharingan… and killed their siblings to make its power permanent…_" Madara was the first to give him those misleading hints.

"_Your fate has been drenched in blood since the day you were born an Uchiha!_" And he had passed them onto his little brother to foster Sasuke's hatred, to discourage him from the path of a brother who had slaughtered their clan.

"_That is the bond between all Uchiha brothers…_" He had hoped his sacrifice would be enough to release all future Uchiha from this wretched destiny… to rebuild their clan on a newer, cleaner foundation.

It had not been enough. He had chosen to be the wrong person's spare.

If he could not be his brother's spare, then perhaps he could be his own. As long as he travelled back in time far enough to change the cause of his Mangekyou Sharingan's activation, his eyes would likely differ… But there was still the issue of whether or not re-bonding with his physical eyes and giving them up to his past self would be drastic enough of a transfer; he had no guarantees. Even if he succeeded, it would still only counter the threat posed by Madara. It would not ensure peace between his clan and Konoha.

And then Uzumaki Naruto entered his sight with that uncompromising attitude and unthinkable optimism…

Naruto shook his head violently to break himself free from an impending identity crisis. Itachi was Itachi. Naruto was Naruto. Even if they shared the same body now, that did not mean they were the same person!

'_Ah, but he gave you his identity, didn't he?_' His own thoughts whispered conspiratorially in Itachi's voice. '_He became your spare… He gave you his body, his memories, his powers, all that made him Uchiha Itachi…_'

"Shut up!" Naruto growled in frustration.

"What did you say, Itachi?"

Naruto blinked, and realized that he had completely forgotten his cover.

He found himself in a made-shift tent, with his mother—no, Uchiha Mikoto, _Itachi_'s mother—kneeling beside him. She had a bucket of lukewarm water on her side, and was apparently just loosening a towel that she had been wringing.

Sitting up from what appeared to be a sleeping bag, Naruto asked, "What happened to Madara?"

"Your clone drove him away." Confirming 'his' memories, Mikoto smiled as she flung a heavy cloak over him. "The night's chilly. Make sure you don't catch a cold."

Naruto was caught between wanting to thank her and worrying if that sounded too polite for a son, even one like Itachi. At length, he merely asked, "Where are father and Sasuke?"

"You father is doing a check around the camp. Sasuke's asleep in the next tent." the woman replied as she started to rummage through a pack. "Are you hungry, Itachi? I saved some rice cakes just before the evacuation."

"No, that won't be necessary." Naruto was still not entirely comfortable about having a mother to fuss over him. "I'm… sorry. Have I destroyed too much of the district?"

"What non-sense are you talking about?" Mikoto's attention was wholly on him now. "It's only those old shops in the front quarters. Besides, houses can be rebuilt, but lives cannot be reborn."

'_Unless you count reincarnation…_' Naruto brooded. '_I wish there is such a thing, if only that could give back what Itachi truly deserves…_'

Probably interpreting his silence as something else, the Uchiha matron suddenly sat down beside him and gently smoothed out his rumpled hair. "You've already done the clan proud, Itachi. You found a way of re-bridging our clan with the village and protected us from a dangerous traitor—all in one day. There is nothing more anyone can ask of you."

Naruto caught himself before scratching his head in embarrassment—that was not something _Itachi_ would do. "I… Were there lives lost?"

Mikoto's amiable countenance became a little strained, "Well, not really…"

Before Naruto could keep pressing though, she cut in with a firm voice, "You need rest. Sleep now and we'll discuss everything in the morning."

Naruto wanted to object, but there was something in Mikoto's expression that made him instinctively reluctant to disobey her. "Very well, but could you at least inform me of the Hokage's stance on tonight's event?"

She seemed even more unsettled by that question. "Just… take a rest, alright?"

As Naruto watched her practically fleeing his tent, he couldn't help but wonder what other turmoil lay just beyond this now peaceful night.

But whatever challenge this new future might throw at him, Uzumaki Naruto was determined to never give up. He would make sure Itachi's last sacrifice had not been in vain. Even if no one else knew, Naruto would always remember there had once been an Uchiha prodigy who devoted his entire life to ensure his village's peace and his brother's survival—even at the price of his own happiness, conscience, and honor.

* * *

**A/N**: Here endeth the first part of my story: 'Arc 1 - Itachi's Last Sacrifice.' To tell the truth, this _was_ initially how much I planned to write—but my muse disagreed. So the unaddressed issues evidently would have to wait for Arc 2.

And now that you've read the whole arc, what do you think of it? Were the characters believable? Was the plot moving too fast/slow? Did I manage to keep up the suspense with those short chapters earlier? They were part of an experiment…


	11. ARC 2: Lost Pages of History

**- CHAPTER 11 - Lost Pages of History -  
**

.

Shift.

Roll. Shift.

Wiggle. Wiggle. Shift. Shift.

…Okay, none of this was helping at all.

'_Argh!_' Giving up on finding a more comfortable position, Naruto opened his eyes. '_Damn Itachi and his stupid sleeping habits!_'

Despite his aggravation, only an inaudible sigh escaped Naruto's mouth in the end. He tried not to think too much about what this newfound restraint meant. It was bad enough that he got Itachi's somnial difficulties, but now he had to keep up with the other ninja's around-the-clock paranoia too?

Whoa, did he just learn a new word? _Somnial_? He didn't even know there was an actual adjective for referring to sleep-related things!

Um, anyhow… judging from the faint light that was just starting to creep into his tent, Naruto guessed it _was_ fairly early in the morning—no later than five, by his most conservative estimation. If he had made too much of a ruckus, he would have surely woke up the others.

And his best excuse for _that_ would have been Itachi was having a nightmare. Talk about giving a sob story…

But if he stayed quiet enough as he did now, this was the time when most people would be the most relaxed in their sleep. Indeed, Itachi had exploited this fact extensively for covering his Akatsuki activities prior to the house arrest. And even before he met Madara, Itachi had used these early hours for training. Regardless of his change in purpose though, his biological clock had remained the same—and now Naruto was stuck with a body drilled for accomodating an early-riser.

Naruto could no longer sleep in even if he _wanted _to. It was a complete and utter outrage!

Awake and alert, he really had nothing better to do though. So despite his usual difficulty in 'keeping perfectly still' outside senjutsu use, Naruto fell back on Itachi's regular schedule and began to meditate. '_One fifth of non-augmented chakra level restored… Ninjutsu and genjutsu below B-rank preferred__…__ Engaging opponents above jounin rank highly inadvisable…_'

Naruto did not realize he had gone into Itachi's dry reporting mode until a familiar voice suddenly whispered from outside his tent, "Are you awake, Itachi?"

Tensing in his sleeping bag, Naruto involuntarily reached for a weapon pouch. Why did Fugaku come by so early? "Yes, father. Is there a problem?"

"No," the clan head replied quickly, "but you need to see the elders."

'_Elders?_' Naruto was confused. From what 'he' knew, the Uchiha clan was not governed by an oligarchy; short of unanimous opposition from the whole clan, Fugaku's sole authority among clansmen was absolute. So why would 'Itachi' _need _to see a bunch of doddering old men who were only ever respected for their more advanced age? Alright, maybe he was being a little harsh. They _could_ be useful as living sources of obscure information, after all.

That did not answer his original question though.

Still wary, Naruto quietly got out of his sleeping bag and began to roll it up with practiced ease. "And Hokage-sama…?"

"Can wait," Fugaku cut him off, "this is more important."

"Alright," Naruto murmured as he stared at his own hands—which were currently tying a single, but secure, knot over the sleeping bag. Er, Itachi had picked up some really peculiar skills. "I will be with you shortly."

Yes, Sandaime-jiichan could wait… for now. He might get something useful from this meeting to report back, after all.

"We will wait for you at the clan's meeting place." Fugaku sounded impatient. "I hope you haven't forgotten where that is?"

'_How could I forget?_' For the ANBU captain, it had only been two years since his last visit to the temple; for the Akatsuki member, perhaps longer. Still, how could he forget the place where he had painstakingly planted all those 'clues' for Sasuke? He had to set up everything away from Madara's scrutiny in one afternoon, too. Quite an effort, that was…

Great, he was thinking like Itachi again.

Hastily retreating from another man's memories before he could confuse himself further, Naruto answered, "Unless you have changed locations, I believe you are referring to the room under the seventh _tatami_ mat on the far right side of Nakano Shrine's main temple?"

"Yes." There was an odd note in Fugaku's voice that Naruto could not quite decipher. "It's still that place."

When Naruto left his tent to verify the clan head's actual expression though, the man was already nowhere in sight.

.

Isolated near the edge of Uchiha district, the main temple of Nakano Shrine was still not too difficult for Naruto to find. Every tree and every stone around it was exactly the same as in Itachi's memories. If nothing else, the fan symbol emblazoned on the _torii_ at its entry was recognizable enough.

No, it was this creepy darkness waiting for him in the basement that got him a little unsettled. There were only four people in the entire room: Fugaku, two elders, and him. The first three were already seated solemnly on mats along the north wall, leaving him to kneel before them on bare floor between the two torches. The gloomy atmosphere was just _begging_ for Itachi's persona to reemerge.

"Itachi." Fugaku's face was an unreadable mask as flames flickered ominously in front of him. "Do you know why you've been summoned here?"

Despite being alone on his side of the dark room, Naruto managed to keep a blank face of his own as he replied tonelessly, "You wish for me to explain my unauthorized dealings with Madara."

"No." Fugaku sighed as he briefly glanced at the two other clansmen sitting on either side of him. "You've already sent your clone to give us an explanation yesterday. We understand your… predicament. It was either you pretending to reach a deal with the traitor, or him attacking us with no warning whatsoever."

"…" Naruto nonetheless lowered his head, shifting his palms from the laps to the floor in subtle apology.

"Indeed," a gravel voice chimed from the left in at this point, "I believe we are more concerned with on how you obtained the Mangekyou Sharingan, Itachi-kun."

"_So, you are suspicious of me?"_

"_Yes, brat."_

"_Look, Itachi, if you betray the clan…_"

Another man's memories brought dual waves of simmering heat behind his eyes—one from nearly two years ago, one from ten years ago. Fighting to keep the accursed chakra at bay, Naruto found himself repeating words that this same body had once spoken, "It is not me who killed Shisui…"

"_To obtain the Mangekyou Sharingan, you must kill your closest friend_," another wispy voice intoned. "That is what the clan records stated, and what all adult clan members know. Or do you have another friend we are unaware of?"

Naruto's hands pressed more forcefully on the wooden floor. "I did not kill anyone. Shisui was just… at the wrong place, at the wrong time. Madara silenced him after he overheard our conversation by Nakano River that night. Shisui was not meant to know he had been… discarded by Madara."

It was so hard to go against Itachi's nature, to reveal things with such frankness to near-strangers—but Naruto persisted. He did not want to become a carbon copy of Uchiha Itachi; he might have to go by that name from now on, but Naruto was determined to be his own person. He just needed more time for a character change to appear natural.

Looking up at the three men before him, Naruto still felt Itachi's rare spike of rage leaking through his words. "You could accuse me of having _led_ to Shisui's death…but I would never willingly kill him."

"And your Mangekyou Sharingan?" the white-haired elder with that gravel voice seemed unmoved.

Weariness overtook Naruto's anger then. "It activated upon my… guilt. I _do_ feel responsible for being unable to prevent Shisui's death. And he _was_ my best friend."

"You are claiming Shisui was in contact with Madara as well?" Fugaku's voice broke a staring contest between Naruto and the gravel-voiced elder.

"Yes." Naruto still stared at the man, not at all bothered by the elder's Sharingan. "One month before his death, Shisui was instructed to kill me to activate his own Mangekyou Sharingan. He refused."

There were more to the story, but he did not think it would be necessary to go into the details. Shisui was dead; what he would have done… was never done.

"Activate yours now," the wispy-voiced elder commanded from the right.

"…" Naruto hesitated for just a second. Using this power—it reminded both Itachi and him too painfully of their failures. But he _had_ to rebuild the clan's trust in Itachi, and Naruto did not think relationships built on a foundation of falsehood and concealment would last for long.

So relaxing the jaws he had been unconsciously clenching, Naruto released the heat behind his eyes.

"This is your third mutated iris pattern," Fugaku observed after activating his own Sharingan—probably to check for possible illusions.

'_Third…_' Naruto carefully bit the inside of his mouth. So he did gain the Eien no Mangekyou Sharingan? He supposed he _should_ be happy for Itachi, for how the Akatsuki member had succeeded in achieving his last and final goal—but Naruto could only feel sadness. Sadness for a man who had given up his entire existence just to grant this damned, bloody power to another!

'_He didn't even have a guarantee for whether or not I could defeat Madara with this_.' Naruto closed his eyes, cutting off the chakra flow to them. He did not mind the pain… it was nothing he could not deal with. No, he was simply conserving his chakra. Naruto could bear with Itachi's near-reflexive paranoia—if it meant he could survive longer. And Naruto had every intention of surviving Madara.

Blinking open his eyes, Naruto watched as Fugaku shared a long look with the gravel-voiced elder.

"Matsuku-san," the clan head finally turned to speak with the second elder. "Would you like to take over?"

Said man nodded as he spoke to Naruto directly, "Itachi-kun, I suppose you must have discovered the curse that was placed on the Mangekyou Sharingan?"

"Yes, it degrades the user's eyesight, honored elder." Naruto wondered where this was going.

Matsuku's lips twisted into a brittle smile. "Correct. And do you know how you could prevent the deterioration?"

"You could simply avoid its usage," Naruto stopped himself before his reply could become flippant. "Or you could take the eyes of another Uchiha, preferably your sibling, who also bears the Mangekyou Sharingan."

"Correct, again." Matsuku's smile deepened. "Did Madara tell you that? I believe we removed all records of the second approach."

"…" Naruto nodded. _That_ discovery had been enough to make a disgusted eleven-year-old ANBU lose all respect of his clan.

"Avoiding its usage…" The smile disappeared from Matsuku's face. "Easier said than done. What's the use of a power if we don't use it? The temptation was always there…"

The elder's gaze fell on Naruto. Only then, did Naruto realize that the other man's irises were strangely blank. "I should know. I was once a user."

"…" Naruto felt his eyes widening ever so slightly, but he waited patiently for the elder to continue.

And the man did. "There were once ten of us: three who awoke the Mangekyou Sharingan by killing their own friends—like Madara and Izuna, seven who awoke it by indirectly causing our closest associates' death—like you."

This was a lost page of history, even for Itachi! Naruto found himself holding his breath as he clung to every new word.

The elder did not disappoint him. "The seven of us eventually hunt down the other three for murdering fellow clansmen; we lost two members through that process. The remaining five of us later drove out Madara, especially after the man took his own brother's eyes to make his Mangekyou Sharingan permanent; we lost four more members that way… I am the only one left."

"But Madara said his brother offered them up freely," Naruto felt compelled to bring up an issue which had bothered Itachi for the longest time.

"History is written by victors," Matsuku shrugged. "Izuna died soon after the eye transfer. I was too young to remember then, but my seniors apparently were unable to verify with him in time. Madara had been practical enough of a leader during wartime, so we were content to follow him until he sought to break our hard-won peace. After that, we had to come up with a justifiable reason to remove him from our clan's leadership."

"So you are not entirely above reproach yourself." Naruto narrowed his eyes, though he was not truly surprised to hear the elder admitting to a _possibly_ false accusation. Even with Itachi's memories, Naruto still found it a little hard to accept these Uchiha's extreme methods. Was the end really enough to justify the means for them?

"Goodness, no." Matsuku, at least, was honest enough _not_ to claim innocence. "But if Madara forgot that the clan includes more than him, we could not sit back while he brought our endangered numbers into his personal conflict with the Shodai. A true leader is not just about raw power."

"Have you regretted your decision?" Thinking of the Uchiha clan's plans for revolt, Naruto asked softly.

"No," the elder wheezed. "The clan would have continued to survive long and well… had Madara not brought us back into the village's suspicion with the Kyuubi stunt he pulled."

"…" Naruto wondered how come Itachi had no memory of… killing this former holder of the Mangekyou Sharingan. If the man had been able to achieve _that_ level of their bloodline limit, he might have been a tricky opponent for Itachi even with the blindness. Who knew if the elder had not developed some kind of technique to exploit these eyes' weaknesses?

Perhaps he was among those that Madara took care of personally? That seemed likely, particularly if what the elder said about opposing the former clan leader had been true.

"And now, you're the first one to achieve this forbidden level after nearly fifty years." Matsuku spoke again, this time sounding wistful. "I hunted down all the rebellious youngsters that tried to achieve it through murder in the early years, but using these eyes took their toll. And now, I hear you've even attained three forms of Mangekyou Sharingan?"

Naruto glanced at Fugaku, who gave him a tight smile. Wondering briefly if that was supposed to be an encouragement, Naruto replied gravely, "Only two for me, specifically. I could never kill Sasuke; so I created and destroyed a brother personality. My current Mangekyou Sharingan is a combination of our two forms."

It was as close as Naruto would ever get to the truth. He shared Itachi's desire to end this cursed form of the Uchiha bloodline with himself. If nothing else, Naruto respected the other ninja's wish to steer his clan clear of its wretched past.

The flames flickered. No one spoke.

"You've got a smart kid there, Fugaku-sama," the gravel-voiced elder eventually broke the silence, "and a damn crazy one, too."

Fugaku could only smile uneasily.

"So yours is a permanent Mangekyou Sharingan," Matsuku cackled. "My, you might be the clan's hope after all."

Naruto wisely made no reply, and simply looked to Itachi's father in silent inquiry.

Fugaku seemed to have caught his message. "This would explain how you could drive away Madara then. You have the same kind of eyes as him."

Thinking back to his fight from yesterday, Naruto slowly shook his head. He was confident, but not conceited; besides, he was still undecided on whether or not to connect with Itachi's memories on a deeper level. "I was lucky. Madara had not expected my final two doujutsu. He assumed I possess three techniques as a holder of normal Mangekyou Sharingan, and did not expect those from my alternate personality. He never thought it was possible for me to make my mutated eyes permanent without killing Sasuke."

"I believe," Matsuku's wispy voice sounded even frailer at that moment, "you are closer to bringing down that traitor than we ever were. The permanent form of Mangekyou Sharingan gave Madara a new power that made him all but invincible in battle—a power that you have the potential of gaining."

"And you might just be closer to becoming the Hokage than Madara ever was," the other elder added, his expression showing a grudging respect that had Naruto abashed; Itachi had been the one to come up with this insane plan, not him. "You see this entire village as your clan… something I think those Senju tree-huggers favored."

Naruto wondered if he should make a protest to this, as an 'Uchiha'… but Fugaku saved him from the awkward moment. "You would make a better clan head than Madara ever was too. Once the others come out of their natural fear for the Mangekyou Sharingan, I think they would also remember how you have saved them from Madara."

Completely uncomfortable with praises, Naruto wanted to shift the focus of this conversation to topics he was more concerned with—such as the Hokage's reaction, his past self's safety, and the clan's losses… among other things. But before he could voice his questions, someone knocked on their ceiling.

Frowning, Fugaku nonetheless acknowledged the knock. "Yes?"

A muffled voice came through a small and well-hidding crack, "Hokage-sama has made a village-wide summon for _all_ off-duty ANBU, citing Level 1 Emergency. It is our belief that this is targeted at Itachi-sama!"

* * *

**A/N**: Thanks for everyone's valuable feedback. Much appreciated!

Someone mentioned the hypothetical circumstances of Shisui's death were a bit confusing, so hopefully this chapter clears it up more. Not sure what I can do about the doujutsu battle a few chapters back though—any suggestion on how I can make it less 'boring'?


	12. ARC 2: My Future, My Past

**- CHAPTER 12 - My Future, My Past -  
**

.

Silent as a shadow, Naruto landed inside one of Hokage Residence's back windows.

Before the hidden guards could turn him into a porcupine with their kunai, he quickly made a few hand signs. "_This is Karasu reporting in for summon #0600L1E._"

Good thing he double-checked Itachi's ANBU codename. Who would've thought the guy went by _Karasu_?

The beak impression on his mask was… interesting, to say the least. And Naruto definitely hadn't find it amusing to share the same appellation as Kankurou's weirdo puppet, even if it might explain Itachi's frequent use of crows in his battle tactics. Still, Naruto had almost assumed Itachi would go by his own name's homophone. After all, wasn't a weasel _a_ type of animal?

Naruto felt queasy just thinking about how he'd have to stay in contact with Itachi's memories to avoid near-slips like this time. But given the huge mess he was in, he couldn't exactly afford to make an _actual_ slip—however minor it might seem. He did have an 'audience' that would probably keep on over-analyzing his every action.

Judging from the number of guards easing back into the shadows, his current performance was apparently authentic enough. Unfortunately, the group was headed by a Hyuuga—if the excess off-white in those eyeholes was anything to go by. And _everyone_ knew how fussy those Hyuugas could be if they wanted to make a big deal out of something. At least, this particular member of that clan was obviously not content with just verifying his summon number and ANBU getup.

Despite the delay involved, Naruto found he was actually _reassured_ when the other ANBU captain decided to take a closer look at his appearance—possibly with the Byakugan activated. It seemed that his village wasn't taking any chances after last night's event.

If the Hyuuga managed to recognize Itachi's face behind this mask, he showed no sign of it. Instead, the squad leader merely gave a curt nod—which Naruto returned politely in kind. Masked or not, 'Karasu' was still identifiable within ANBU and it would be most unwise to be seen as slighting a comrade. Who knew when they might be called to work together in the future?

Naruto tried not to be disturbed by how his thoughts sounded so much like Itachi's just then.

But once he passed by the group, navigating the corridors was a piece of cake for Naruto. Some of Sandaime-jiichan's later calligraphies were obviously missing from the wall, but small differences like that couldn't stump a past/future frequenter like him. And after going through yet _another_ round of checks at the entry to Sandaime-jiichan's office (what was with all the Hyuuga ANBU around?), he was finally able to answer his summon.

…In a room with only the Old Man sitting behind a desk and waiting for him.

Blinking away his surprise behind the mask, Naruto bowed respectfully as he remembered Itachi would have done.

"You arrived quickly," the Hokage commented with an uncharacteristically toneless voice.

"I was told there is an emergency." Naruto spoke calmly even as he felt his panic rising inside. Why was Sandaime-jiichan being so cold? Why was he the only one to answer the summon? Was he _really_ in trouble? "And time is of the essence for a ninja."

"Taken straight from General Rule no. 4," the Old Man observed dryly. "You know your codes well, as expected. But what happened to following Rule no. 2?"

'_The Hokage is a Konoha ninja's ultimate commander and final arbitrator in any situation._'

Itachi just _had_ to 'forget' about coming clean with what he was doing behind the Old Man's back until the very last minute, didn't he? Um, how could he phrase this then… "I confess that I've committed a grievous oversight. I've…"

"Failed to inform me of Madara's existence before last night," Sandaime-jiichan finished his sentence flatly.

Well, _Itachi_ did. But Naruto knew he was more or less in the guy's shoes now. So dipping his head, Naruto racked his brain for some kind of justification. "Everyone believed Madara to be dead after his battle with Shodai-sama decades ago at the Valley of the End. It was presumptuous of me, but I did not think my words would be taken seriously."

"And so you planned on facing him alone from the start," the Old Man's words came out as a statement rather than a question. "Have you so little faith in your village?"

Naruto dared not make a retort this time. When Sandaime-jiichan put it _that_ way…

After an uncomfortable stretch of silence, the Hokage finally spoke again. His voice was soft—almost _sad_. "You are my only off-duty ANBU at this time, Karasu. Do you understand the severity of your situation?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Naruto replied quietly. Now that Sandaime-jiichan dropped the hint, Naruto could only guess the rest of the available ANBU had all been dispatched on patrol duty of one sort or another. But wasn't that a bit of an overkill? Madara wouldn't be fit enough to make a comeback anytime soon—not when Takemikazuchi had drained so much of his spiritual energy… Never mind, Itachi's clone wouldn't have known to report _that_.

And yet, why did the Hokage wait until now to summon him? Why didn't the Old Man single him out in the actual summon notice?

If he was honest enough with himself, Naruto knew 'his' actions could easily be construed as gross negligence of duty—something Danzou and the Council would be sure to capitalize if they got wind of it. Could Sandaime-jiichan be trying to… protect him then? Or were the last few hours merely a grace period before his final condemnation?

Naruto had to push aside his mounting insecurities when Sandaime-jiichan gave a sudden instruction though, "Lift up your head, Karasu."

Resigned to face whatever punishment that was in store for him, Naruto steeled himself and did so. His line of vision connected with the Hokage's for a moment, and he noticed that there was… no humor in the other man's dark eyes.

"Remove your mask," the Third Hokage continued his command in a cool voice. "You are relieved of your ANBU duties, Uchiha Itachi."

.

"So barring techniques outside my knowledge, our treatment can allow Itachi…" The Head Medical Officer gave Naruto another nervous glance before she hastily wrapped up her report with as much diplomacy as she could muster, "to continue active service for another fifteen years at most."

"Thank you, Shirogiku." The Hokage's face was shadowed under his hat. "Itachi, do you have any question you'd like to ask?"

"No, Hokage-sama," Naruto replied distractedly. Having his lifespan shortened was nothing new to either Itachi or Naruto, and he was far more preoccupied with a certain blond child's condition in the ward next door.

Internal bleeding and muscle tear had been easy enough for the med-nins to heal. But it was those eroded chakra pathways that were apparently posing a serious problem. From what Shirogiku-sensei described, it seemed his younger self had chakra leaking back to his cells along sections of those damaged pathways. At his age, the chibi was clearly not ready to handle demonic chakra in its raw form and the leaks were causing abnormal cellular growth; they would have already led to the development of dangerous tumors had the med-nins not forcibly cut off the chakra flow to those parts of the chibi's body…

That was just a quick-and-dirty fix though. As long as demonic chakra was still present in the child's system, his past self could never heal properly. Indeed, to truly resolve the issue, someone would have to stop Kyuubi from pumping any more of its tainted chakra through his past self's body—someone, say, with a good control of Sharingan?

Except, without being subjected to the trauma of having his whole world turned upside down in one night, Sasuke probably hadn't awakened his Sharingan. And Naruto didn't trust any other Uchiha to be capable of seeing his past self beyond the dismissive label of 'Kyuubi-container'. But that would leave only…

His deliberation was cut short when he felt a light squeeze on his shoulder. Refocusing on his surroundings, Naruto realized the med-nin had already left. Had he spaced out for so long? Only Sandaime-jiichan was in the room, sitting with him. "Do you still have nothing to ask, Itachi?"

"No." Naruto tried to give one of his own reassuring grins, but it turned into a mere tug of his lips—as he expected. He was starting to get the hang of how much force to put in for Itachi's different 'expressions'. "Fifteen more years are enough for me to do many things, Hokage-sama."

Itachi had certainly managed to accomplish enough in an even shorter life.

Even without checking the other ninja's memories, Naruto could already tell Itachi had probably assigned himself to a death sentence after the Massacre. At least from what Naruto could remember just off the top of his head, it wasn't until his stamina began to seriously deteriorate that Itachi finally quit his use of that poison. In the end, it was rather ironic that the nuke-nin had to find ways to _prolong_ his life long enough for Sasuke to grow to a testable level.

Well, Naruto wasn't going to leave Madara for others to deal with! Unlike Itachi, he had everything intention of taking down Madara _before_ his own death.

After all, his past… or future deserved better. But first, he would have to test…

"Tsunade," Sandaime-jiichan suddenly spoke, stopping Naruto before he could actually voice his suggestion. "I've already sent for her after I received Shirogiku's preliminary report on your condition yesterday. If all goes well, she might even return along with Jiraiya when he comes back for your briefing on the Akatsuki."

Great, _just as_ Itachi planned. But the news still excited Naruto enough with its possibilities that he nearly made a slip, "You've sent for Tsunade-sama? She could help m…Naruto-kun then." Argh, did he really have to keep to Itachi's creepy way of saying those honorifics?

"Yes," the Old Man smiled fondly for a moment—probably recalling his past self's recent acts of mischief—before setting his features into a stern expression again. "Until then, you are expected to observe your _sick_ leave. Have I made myself clear, Itachi?"

Recalling the kind of missions Itachi used to do on a regular basis, Naruto tried not to let his relief show. Fighting and killing those sick bastards from the Akatsuki was one thing, but taking possibly innocent lives all in the name of Fire Country's safety? Um, he needed some adjustment time. But why did Itachi have to so annoying accurate in predicting _everything_? "Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Good," Sandaime-jiichan said while giving him a meaningful look, "Proceed with your mission then, chuunin."

Yeah, trust Sandaime-jiichan to turn a simple hospital visit into an escort mission for him… But with his current cover as Uchiha Itachi, there were obviously hidden meanings behind this 'mission'. Sure, he was released from ANBU duties for the time being—but the Old Man had already confirmed his suspicions that his release was more of a ruse than anything. So Naruto did not have to be told to realize that this so-called mission was actually the Hokage's subtle way of showing his continued confidence in 'Itachi', a trustworthy subordinate and fellow pacifist.

…All the more reason for Naruto to consciously pace his steps as he accompanied the Old Man to their next stop. Other than his clone's encounter with the child last night, 'Itachi' had no reason to be so concerned about Uzumaki Naruto. He could not let Sasuke's clan be seen as having a dubious interest in Konoha's jinchurriki.

So Naruto stuck to Itachi's blank face even as he opened the door to his past self's ward for the Hokage. But just as he closed the door behind Sandaime-jiichan, the older ninja abruptly asked with a slight note of uncertainty, "Itachi, would you say something like last night could happen to Naruto again?"

Naruto wished he could reply with a big and unambiguous 'NO', but he could not lie to the Old Man. Not completely. "It is a possibility. _He_ was said to have tamed and controlled _it_ like a pet…"

The Hokage's face gained a thoughtful look, but it was quickly replaced by one of concern when a soft rustle alerted both of them.

The little bundle of hospital sheets on that bed was moving.

Naruto watched as the Old Man walked up to his chibi version's bedside, feeling a sense of bittersweet nostalgia as the Hokage smiled gently at the blond child. No, seriously, he was _not_ jealous at all… "Are you feeling a little better today, Naruto?"

"Jiji?" Blue eyes blinked blearily. "Iunno, can't feel nothing."

'_Did I really talk like that when I was that age?_' Naruto felt slightly embarrassed as Sandaime-jiichan tried to correct and reassure the unusually subdued boy. '_Kid needs a lesson in proper grammar._'

Ha, as if he was any better before being saddled with Itachi's speech pattern! Although, come to think of it, Naruto could not help but wonder what could have happened if the other ninja had not covered up for his potential blunders. He somehow had trouble picturing 'Itachi' ending all of his sentences in 'dattebayo'…

Urgh, bad thoughts! Bad thoughts!

By the time his moment of mental nausea passed, Naruto found the room had gone completely quiet around him. Noticing his past self's stare, Naruto quickly realized _he_ was the source of this unnerving silence. As he cracked a weak smile, Naruto tried not to let the growing fear in those blue eyes hurt him… too much.

'_Did he somehow remember what happened last night?_' Naruto's jaws tightened at the thought. '_Could he have already met the Kyuubi in his mind?_'

Observing a momentary crease between the Old Man's eyebrows, Naruto could guess that the other ninja probably shared his worries. "Ah, Naruto, I see you've noticed your other visitor. Do you remember him?"

His younger self frowned for a moment before replying, "Kinda. But where's his funny eyes?"

Naruto exhaled slowly. So, not only had his past self seen Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan, but he also recalled it.

The Old Man quirked an eyebrow as he motioned for Naruto to come forward. "Well, Naruto, this is Uchiha Itachi. He will be taking care of you from now on."

Naruto froze. This wasn't part of what the Old Man said back in his office! To all appearances, 'he' was only thirteen years old. How was he supposed to take care of a child—even if it was, well, _himself_?

Still, an order is an order is an order… "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Naruto-kun."

"What?" Even bedridden, it seemed that his younger self could still explode quite spectacularly. "Why Funny-Eye? I can take care of myself, jiji!"

'_Was I ever this annoying?_' Naruto nearly winced at the volume of the boy's loud shouts. '_I've said that I'__d never agree with Itachi's assessment of me, but…_'

Sandaime-jiichan was already lowering his hat in tired exasperation. "Not according to your landlord. Seems he had to wait until his ceiling was molded to find out you'd broke his water pipes."

"Swear ain't me who did it!" His chibi version bounced up from the bed, before inhaling sharply and bowing over.

Naruto's hands shot out quickly to settle the boy's back against a pillow. "You just proved Hokage-sama's point by showing you can't even take care of your own body."

His younger self glared defiantly at him. "Who needs your help?"

Okay, that was it. Could he change his mission now?

"Ahem," Sandaime-jiichan coughed pointedly in an attempt to break off any more protests from the boy. "Nonetheless, you will be safer with Itachi around."

Naruto was unsure whether the Hokage was referring to his supposed ability to fight off Madara, or the Sharingan's more obscure capabilities. However, if he recalled how he used to think at the chibi's age correctly… "Hokage-sama, I believe it might enable Naruto-kun to better appreciate the danger of his situation if you inform him of his 'burden'_."_

This time, it was the Old Man who glared at him. "It's too early."

"What too early?" the chibi was clearly annoyed at being left out of the loop, just as Naruto knew he would be. "'m here, you know!"

Weathering the heated glare from both parties with grace, Naruto calmly suggested, "I believe Naruto-kun can handle it, Hokage-sama. I'd have thought you, more than anyone, would have enough faith in him."

The chibi seemed to still be trying to process what Naruto had said, but the Hokage was already starting to soften his glare. "It is not a matter of faith, Itachi. He is only a child. He should not have to…"

"From the day he was turned into a sacrifice, he lost what most children were meant to have," Naruto kept his voice even, although memories of his own lonely childhood were starting to chip away at his mind. "You could tell him the truth now, or have him draw the wrong conclusion from the negative commentary I've heard around the village."

Indeed, it had always bugged him how the Old Man kept him in the dark for so long. He could understand the Hokage's reasons, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Naruto felt his alternate version deserved a chance to put an earlier stop to his doubts. After all, Sandaime-jiichan couldn't seriously think the issue could be avoided if the chibi really remembered what happened last night?

In the background, the chibi's wails and protests were already back with a vengeance. But with the greater importance of this matter at hand, Naruto forced himself to keep his eyes locked on Sandaime-jiichan's.

Catching the resignation that finally settled in those old eyes, Naruto lowered his head and asked softly, "If I may be excused?"

The Hokage sighed. "Yes, you are. You and I will discuss the details of your new assignment later."

Naruto nodded and exited the room, not before applying a privacy jutsu on the door—that should be enough to deter any stray med-nin dropping by for a regular checkup. Otherwise, it would at least give Sandaime-jiichan enough of an alert if someone tried to eavesdrop on their conversation.

He badly wanted to be there for his past self when the truth was told, but he knew the chibi did not trust him yet. Sandaime-jiichan alone could fill that supportive role.

So Naruto just mechanically walked down the hallway, all the while distracting himself with a mental compilation of what he could tell Fugaku. He was possibly more than ten rooms down from his past self's ward when his ears caught some disturbing words outside a door.

"…pity, she might have become the youngest fem…"

"…better if she's dead. At least she'd be on the KIA…"

"…Nonsense. With her body still functioning, she might wake up someday…"

"…kidding me? She's virtually got no soul left to speak of…"

Naruto wished he had just walked right past the room. He really did. But his curiosity made it impossible for him to resist the temptation of looking up the name scrawled on the door plate…

It was 'Uchiha Fukurou'.

* * *

**A/N**: _Itachi_ sounds the same as 'weasel' in Japanese & _Karasu_, 'crow'.


	13. ARC 2: His Past, My Present

-** CHAPTER 13 - His Past, My Present -  
**

.

It was a sunny afternoon. The sky was impossibly blue with not a wisp of cloud in sight. In the thicket nearby, cicadas were buzzing noisily and trying to draw him into their carefree lull.

Standing in front of the KIA Ninja Memorial, Naruto paid them no heed.

'_How did she survive?_' Relieved, baffled, frustrated, irritated, cheered… Naruto was a confused mess of emotions at the moment. Call him a coward for hiding here under the excuse of an appointment, but he really didn't know how to deal with Fukurou's survival. The medical reports he had found after sneaking into the hospital's record room didn't make any sense at all! They said her physical energy was still in abundance, but her spiritual energy was somehow almost non-existent; she supposedly had enough chakra to keep her body going, and not enough to keep her mind conscious…

But by all rights, she should already be dead!

While he wasn't arrogant enough to think Amaterasu was truly unavoidable, it'd probably take _insanely_ fast techniques on the level of Madara's space-time manipulation to effectively evade it—techniques which Fukurou never showed even in the direst of situations during the past three years. It could mean the Uchiha clan spy was, ironically, not as trusting as Itachi had taken her to be, or the kunoichi had simply come up with a new technique at the last minute…

Naruto could really care less about how Fukurou managed to survive though. She did, and that was that. He was, however, feeling awkward about her _existence_. He supposed he should be relieved that Fukurou was unconscious at the moment, that there was one less person who could blow his cover… But in a now defunct timeline, Itachi had used and killed her. Thinking along such purely utilitarian lines would only make Naruto wonder if he'd been any better.

He might not have actually _planned_ to activate the Mangekyou Sharingan upon her perceived demise—but the fact remained that he did. His guilt over Sakura's death might have been the main catalyst, but that alone wouldn't have worked had he not emotionally linked her to Fukurou back then. Blood could only be awakened by blood; such was the curse of the Uchiha clan's bloodline limit.

Naruto wished he could just let himself pile all the blame on Fukurou. After all, wasn't she the one who chose to be captured in Sasuke's stead? Wasn't she the one who insisted on staying in the line of fire? And wasn't she the one who somehow extricated herself from Amaterasu but knocked herself into a coma? He _tried_, and _did_, warn her to bloody get out of the way. But did she listen? _No_, she had to stick around and get hit…

Maybe he could've tried harder though?

"Any significance behind you asking to meet me here?"

Despite how much he missed that familiar voice, Naruto forced himself to turn around with an indifferent expression. "Not at all, Inu-san. I was simply told this is the only meeting place you would honor with timeliness." At least, if one knew enough to specify the proper name of this location…

"…" Even with his dog mask on, the ANBU was hardly incognito to Naruto. Really, if Kakashi-sensei wanted to conceal his identity, he would first have to do something about all that silvery hair.

But knowing he was only marginally trusted with his current identity, Naruto didn't wait for a confirmation that'd never come. Instead, he silently withdrew a scroll from his chuunin vest and held it out for the ANBU. "Given your seniority, I must say I was surprised when Hokage-sama informed me of your new post."

Taking the scroll after an evaluative pause, Kakashi-sensei responded without taking his eyes off Naruto's hands. "I'm at the end of my time in the corps. He was probably trying to give me an easy last assignment."

Somewhat surprised by how forthcoming other ninja was, Naruto tried to gauge how much confidence in 'Itachi' Sandaime-jiichan had managed to impress upon the distrustful ANBU captain. "You've read the files then."

He received a curt nod.

Images of a grinning boy drifted into his mind, and Naruto found himself glancing at the scroll being examined by his former teacher. "I am not in a position to offer suggestions… but losing Shin and the others would be a regrettable loss for Konoha."

Kakashi-sensei's right thumb twitched at the obviously non-standard codename. "Shin… Is he one of those 'roots'?"

Naruto smiled faintly as some 'foreign' memories replayed themselves in his mind. "Indeed, Inu-san. There are a few more others, but you should spot them quickly. Shin though… He's a little different."

_Different_ enough that Itachi's first impression of Uzumaki Naruto had been a 'dumbed-down Shin.'

The ANBU captain finally looked up at him. "Sounds like you're fond of their bunch."

"They might be… misguided," Naruto carefully chose his words. No thanks to Itachi, he was feeling oddly protective of this particular squad 'he' was handing over. "But not all of them are fixed in their ways. Therein lies their own danger."

Mismatched eyes closed for a moment before shifting lazily upwards… to the Konoha flag flapping on a pole overhead. "And the rest are loyal."

"They all are." Naruto barely paused when he caught a series of soft patters among the trees to his left. "…To different parties, perhaps. But they are a good team."

The copycat ninja hummed noncommittally before pocketing Naruto's scroll. "Is that all you want to say?"

'_No…_' Naruto bit back his automatic reply. Itachi had a different genin instructor; 'he' would have no reason to feel attached to this man. "Yes. Thank you for sparing the time to drop by, Inu-san."

"Not a problem." It was Kakashi-sensei's turn to swivel his gaze to the side. "Ah, looks like I have another appointment to keep. Good day, Uchiha."

'_Yeah right…_' If it wouldn't have ruined his cover, Naruto would've rolled his eyes at his former teacher's poor excuse of a… well, excuse.

"Good day." Watching the man disappearing in a swirl of leaves, Naruto still returned the parting remark politely. After all, Kakashi-sensei was also only being polite.

Holding back a sigh, Naruto waited until he seemed to be the only one left on-site before turning towards a bush to his left. "Come out now, Tansui. You're not fooling anyone."

The bush rustled before said youth ducked out of it. "But the other guy didn't catch me, Itachi-sama."

"There's no need to be so formal." Naruto frowned as he began to recall just why this teenager's name had come so quickly to him. "I've already told you that at the temple this morning."

Dark hair, dark eyes… Yes, Tansui was another Uchiha. Naruto had to admit this was a time when he was actually _glad_ to have Itachi's memories. There was no way Naruto could have kept track of all 'his' clan members by himself.

Besides, 'Itachi' would have never forgotten about Shisui's younger brother.

"But everyone says that you saved the clan last night!" Tansui's big eyes were currently shining with a worshipful look that frankly disturbed Naruto. He might have enjoyed basking in it were it not for the real Itachi's sacrifice weighing heavily on his conscience. One day, though, Naruto was determined to earn that respect on his own.

"It was not entirely of my doing." For now, Naruto could only reply with Itachi's usual duplicity before steering their conversation onto safer grounds. "And Inu-san did catch you. Why did you think he left so soon?"

"Oh…" A suspicious flush came over Tansui's plump cheeks. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

Naruto fixed him with a blank look.

Probably unnerved by the creepiness of Itachi's eyes, the other thirteen-year-old hastily backpedaled, "Alright, I was curious… I thought you'd be at the hospital but then I saw you here instead. By the way, why didn't you visit nee-san this afternoon?"

Looking away before he could lash out with rash words, Naruto started walking down a trail he remembered leading towards the Uchiha district. "Why didn't you tell me about Fukurou's condition this morning?"

Tansui hurriedly caught up with him before replying. "I thought you knew, Itachi-sama."

Naruto was about to correct the genin on his address again, but decided not to bother for the _tenth_ time that day. It was a rather trivial issue, and really not worth the trouble of adding even more to Itachi's loner image. If Tansui was happier with calling him by that overly formal honorific, then Naruto wasn't about to upset the other teen by forcing him to drop it.

"Assumption breeds ignorance," Naruto could only conclude dryly in the end. He had hoped to play into people's assumptions of Itachi. He had _needed_ to play into their assumptions. But precisely given their assumptions, it seemed that the clan still insisted on keeping him on a probationary watch. "Why are you looking for me?"

"Fugaku-sama wants to know how your meeting with Hokage-sama went." Tansui straightened up in reply as he eyed the green vest on Naruto. "Were you punished? That's so unfair!"

Naruto didn't respond immediately. If Tansui had really come to fetch him on Fugaku's orders, the teenager would have known _not_ to ask that last question until the clan head had sanctioned the release of such information. "You should spend more time training than gossiping, Tansui. Your poor camouflage back there was rather telling."

"Not everyone can be as talented as you," Tansui mumbled.

Naruto looked at the other ninja sharply. "Are you trying to tell me you've given up on your dream of surpassing your brother?"

Tansui lowered his head before muttering, "He killed himself. He's a coward not worth my time to surpass."

That comment nearly sent Naruto over the edge. Fine, so maybe it was Itachi's memories inducing this extreme reaction from him, but Naruto did feel responsible enough for what was left of Shisui's family. After all, he had inherited Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan…

It didn't help that he also remembered killing Tansui.

So even if it was way too direct for Itachi, Naruto reached out and clutched Tansui by the shoulders. "I cannot tell you the full details at this time, Tansui, but your brother was _not_ a coward. Shisui was one of the best ninjas ever produced by our clan, and I will not have you besmirch him—even if you are his _otouto_."

Tansui bit his lips until they drew blood—but never once did he look up to meet Naruto's eyes.

Naruto eventually brought his emotion under control again and released his hold on Tansui. Neither of them spoke for a while after that, content to simply walk past the stands of trees in tense silence. Sunlight filtered in and out of the thick canopy to shine on them sporadically during their walk, casting their faces in irregular periods of blinding light or gloomy darkness.

"So." When Tansui finally spoke again, there was an odd note in his voice that prompted Naruto to look in his direction. "How did… nee-san end up like this?"

"I do not know the full details myself." Naruto forced himself to relax his stiffening strides. Tansui did not know it was him who put Fukurou into her current state; the teenager was not being purposefully spiteful when asking about his adopted older sister… "She was hit by a technique meant for Madara, and it seems to have some unexpected effects on her."

Naruto thought he caught a strange glint in the other teenager's eyes—but when he tried to look more closely, all he could see was that annoyingly timid respect. Had it been just a trick of the light? "The med-nins are saying she'll wake up if her chakra balance is restored… Did that technique drain her spiritual energy then?"

Not directly. But as the ultimate fire-based jutsu, Amaterasu would certainly consume anything it came in physical contact with—such as a kage bushin. The real question, Naruto supposed, really came down to what kind of dangerous experimentation Fukurou had been doing with her infamous clones…

Until he had solid proofs though, Naruto felt it was safer to keep his speculations to himself. It could be Itachi's paranoia acting up again, but Naruto supposed he could never be too careful with his words given his current situation. "No, it was merely a less restrictive fire-based technique. There must have been something else."

More of the brooding silence ensued, until they were out of the woods and into the small park in front of the Uchiha district. Although this area was also in shambles and ruins after last night, current efforts for reconstruction seemed to be concentrated _within_ the clan district—at least, if the source of those hammering and soldering sounds were any indication.

It was painful for Naruto to even look at those tentative smiles that greeted his return. From off-duty members of the Konoha Military Police patrolling the streets, to industrious workmen repairing ruined shop fronts, to exasperated mothers driving their preschool kids away from the clan's evacuation area and back into their homes… For every face that he saw, he remembered its corresponding expression frozen at the time of death.

As Uchiha Itachi, 'he' had executed 'his' clan as a mission on the Council's order.

As Uzumaki Naruto, he had killed Sasuke's clan in an illusion under Madara's compulsion.

Clean as his hands were now, Naruto could still almost _see _the invisible blood stains that had once sullied them in his memory.

He certainly felt very dirty as a person right now.

Naruto was tempted to flee the bustling scene right there and then, but that was definitely not something 'Itachi' would do. In fact, it wasn't even something _Naruto_ would normally do. Besides, he had already avoided the district long enough for one day. Staying away any longer, especially once his 'leisurely' reassignment became public knowledge, and the clan would no doubt start to question his motives.

'_Pull yourself together!_' Brushing aside his guilt and cutting off the heated chakra that had been unconsciously going into his eyes again, Naruto mentally pepped himself. '_They're alive now, and that's all that matters._'

Letting out a shallow breath, Naruto stopped in front of Tansui's residence before turning to face the teenager who had been quietly treading half a step behind him ever since they entered the district. But what Naruto saw unsettled him for some inexplicable reason…

Tansui was looking directly at him. His dark eyes were wide and glazed under the unmitigated sunlight—as if they had been enthralled by something mesmerizing on Naruto's face.

Even as he bid the genin farewell, Naruto could not shake off the feeling that there had been something familiar about Tansui's look.

.

"…So the commercial levies would be waived for owners of damaged shops during this financial quarter, with possible extension conditional on their businesses' recovery. With your reduced duties to the village, Itachi, you are expected to…"

Munching on a cabbage roll at supper, Naruto was hardly paying any attention to Fugaku's 'sanitized' talk on short-term clan affairs. Man, Sasuke's mom could make some really amazing food! Well, maybe this dish was still not quite as awesome as Ichiraku's pork or miso ramen… but still, it was great!

He wasn't about to admit that it was possibly just Itachi's taste buds being predisposed to favoring _anything_ made from cabbage.

"Itachi, are you paying attention?" Oops, did he get carried away by the food? Damn it, one would think Itachi's blank face could hold under the clan head's scrutiny just a bit longer while he cleaned up this plate! Oh, oh, oh! Was that a second serving that Mikoto was bringing to the table now?

Despite possibly being caught red-handed in his rather embarrassing act of salivating over _cabbage rolls_, Naruto managed to calmly finish the current plate before finally putting down his chopsticks. "Of course, father."

Sasuke snickered beside him.

Both Fugaku and Naruto immediately shifted their attention to boy, who faltered under their combined frown. Smiling nervously, Sasuke pointed to his bowl of steaming miso soup with his chopsticks as an explanation. "Um, it was too hot. I almost burnt my tongue."

As if to prove his point, Sasuke made a weird half-hiss, half-slurp sound right then.

Naruto was never so grateful for Itachi's paralyzed cheek muscles as at that moment. How else could he hold his laughter in?

He was pretty sure his strained expression must have come off pretty fishy though.

As Fugaku sternly scolded Sasuke for his bad table manners and Mikoto swiftly moved in to defend the wilting boy, Naruto felt strangely content with the domestic scene in front of him. This was not really his family, but he still enjoyed this homey atmosphere. It was so… normal.

He wished it could last forever.

* * *

**A/N**: Shall we give Naruto a big round of applause for having survived his new role for 48 hours?

While it might seem odd for 'Itachi' to avoid referring to Kakashi as his 'senpai', please pardon someone who took 'his' ANBU vow of secrecy a little too close to heart? And yes, Tansui's another OC… But aside from Shisui & Sasuke, it was a little hard to find _named_ canon members of the Uchiha clan around Itachi's age. Given how much of this story will have to involve the rest of his clan, I hope it's excusable?


	14. ARC 2: Illusion of Normalcy

-** CHAPTER 14 - Illusion of Normalcy -  
**

.

Naruto observed his enemy with critical eyes.

Dark and thin, stiff and proud—his opponent was clearly undaunted by the weapon he had brought out. Yes, this would be a resilient enemy. He must approach this fight with caution. Now, if he were to make a downward strike _this_ way, then it should predictably result in a…

A series of loud bangs interrupted him. "Hurry up, Funny-Eye! I need to use the toilet!"

'_Good grief, the brat is already up…_' Naruto's scissors stopped in mid-air. It was probably for the best though. He had already 'seen' enough to admit Itachi's hair was better off at its current length, despite the _insane_ amount of time it took him to wash and dry. With becoming a Fugaku clone, or having a duck-butt head being his only other options, maintaining a ponytail didn't seem so bad anymore…

Sasuke could keep his monopoly on short hair.

At least, to Naruto, that was much more convincing of an argument than Itachi's. Sure, a wig could be knocked off and an illusion dispelled—but how often would he _really_ need a foolproof prop for disguising himself as some girl at a moment's notice? Wait, he didn't want to know the answer.

As if he didn't already have enough on his plate, another voice chimed in from outside the washroom door, "There's _nothing_ funny with nii-san's eyes!"

'_Great, make that BRATS._' Naruto sighed as he deactivated Itachi's Sharingan and returned the scissors to a drawer. While he was relieved to find his past self's speech improving from the verbal spars, Naruto was becoming increasingly frustrated with how often he had to start his day by breaking a fight between the Brats-from-Hell. Why oh why, did he ever agree to bring the chibi 'home'?

"Then why does he always take so looooong to do his make-up?"

Gritting his teeth, Naruto opened another drawer. And _no_, he was not going for Mikoto's cosmetics…

"He doesn't do _make-up_!"

Relaxing his jaw, Naruto picked out a red elastic band. It was the closest color to orange he could find in this household…

"Oh yeah? You can't mean his _girly_ eyelashes are real?"

Clutching its handle with whitened knuckles, Naruto closed the drawer. Alright, the chibi was _not_ going to get his help on the next homework assignment…

"Hn, says the idiot who has to draw whiskers on his cheeks to look _manly_."

Glaring at Itachi's reflection in the mirror, Naruto gathered the dark hair behind his neck into a ponytail. Sasuke could _count_ on him skipping their next shuriken practice too…

"Hey! Who are you calling an idiot?"

Massaging his cheeks with shaking hands, Naruto attempted a grin. Wider, wider…

"The answer's kind of obvious, _dobe_."

Smiling thinly, Naruto estimated his lips had curled up almost one centimeter higher than yesterday. Hmm, at this rate, he might not even have to wait for Tsunade-baachan to return and help him dealing with the side-effects of Itachi's poison buildup over the last two years…

"_Teme_!"

Naruto opened the door.

Stepping out in front of a luminous window, he asked softly, "I believe one of you said he needs to use the washroom?"

Wide-eyed, Sasuke and the chibi looked up at him from under the long shadow he cast on the hallway—all quarrels between them clearly forgotten.

'_Ah, putting the brats on Lee's beginner routines had definitely paid off._' Naruto could feel his smile deepening slightly despite some difficulties. '_And I haven't even started them with the jumpsuits yet!_'

Of course, without a mirror, he had no idea how his expression would come across now. If his own memories were anything to go by though, Itachi's smile had always been more creepy than friendly.

"Er, yeah!" His past self finally blinked before rushing past him in a blur of white t-shirt. "Took you long enough, Funny-Eye!"

With the washroom door slammed right in their face, Sasuke muttered darkly as he began to walk away, "What a dobe. He acts as if he owns this place."

"Sasuke…" Naruto frowned at the jab. Annoying or not, the chibi was still _his_ past self. "Name-calling is childish. And you should consider it a success on our part to make Naruto-kun feel at home with us."

"He's your mission." Sasuke's expression remained belligerent. "Not mine."

'_Why you…_' No! Must stay calm! Must stay cool! Fugaku was out meeting with his subordinates on duty last night. Mikoto was out shopping for fresh food in the morning market. With neither of them due to return for at least another hour, _he _was the only 'adult' in the house.

And responsible adults do not strangle children under their care.

Mustering the last of his quickly evaporating patience, Naruto corrected Sasuke _again_. He had already lost count on the number of times he tried to stress over this point during the past month… "Naruto-kun is _not_ a mission. Even were his guardianship not assigned to me, he is still a person deserving of proper res…"

The sound of a toilet flush cut off anything else he could say. Watching his past self bouncing out of the washroom, Naruto felt one of his tensest nerves finally snap at the sight of a crack the chibi made in their wall from swinging the door _so__ daMN__ HARD_!

"On second thought," he distantly heard himself murmuring in monotone, "you two are overdue for a test on genjutsu detection…"

.

Trudging back into his 'home' alone, Naruto nearly could not keep the scowl off his face.

The day had started bad enough with him losing his temper. Frustrated with his life or not, he had no excuse for forgetting that Sasuke and the chibi were still first-year Academy students. They had yet to be taught the _theory_ behind advanced illusions—let alone their countermeasures.

'_What in the world was I thinking?!_'

He had every reason to be disgusted with himself. _He_ had hated it when Itachi toyed with his mind during their fights. _He_ had known how horrible it felt to be manipulated like a puppet. But what did he end up doing? He did the exact same thing to Sasuke! To… To himself!

So what if he only hypnotized the pair into ignoring each other? It didn't make his action any less despicable.

And of all the techniques he could have used, he _just_ had to fall back on one of Itachi's doujutsus! Naruto admitted he was still crap at recalling details and, by extension, executing a normal genjutsu in one go… But he _had_ been working on his memorization skills. He _had_ meant to save those Sharingan-based techniques for emergencies. He _had_ resolved not to develop a psychological crutch on these eyes!

Naruto wanted to be himself.

He had deliberately limited his uses of Sharingan to silly things that the other ninja would never even dream of doing (like this morning's haircut evaluation), but it seemed as though he would still use them offensively without a second thought when push came to shove…

Was he, even subconsciously, doomed to become Uchiha Itachi?

Despite the warm sunlight streaming down on him as he walked along the back corridor, Naruto could not help but shudder. It had been so tempting—and would have been so easy—to simply lose himself in Itachi's past. He was 'Itachi' when Fugaku talked with him at home, he was 'Itachi' when Sandaime-jiichan tasked him at work, and he was still _bloody_ 'Itachi' when other ninjas or civilians greeted him around Konoha! Unless he went off into the woods and trained by himself, there was just no escape from that blasted name!

Bearing with this fake life for a week or two was manageable. But at the end of a month's time, Naruto admitted he was having second thoughts about what he signed up for when he agreed to Itachi's request.

Ironically, for all the headaches they created, Sasuke and the chibi remained the only ones who could give him any degree of respite.

He probably shouldn't make such a big fuss over _one_ name—but it was a constant reminder of his precarious identity. During his first weeks in this body, Naruto had stayed up every night just to memorize names and events 'he' should remember. By now, he could pretty much go through a day without ever having to access Itachi's memories. The last time he so much as _skimmed_ them was when he tried to verify the nickname of 'his' mother's aunt's cousin's brother's son. If he had not been trying to bridge Itachi's rigidly polite distance with his clansmen, Naruto would have never bothered.

But the slip this morning had been like a slap back to reality.

Sad though its implication was, no one apparently realized that 'Itachi' was no longer Itachi since that night… but now, Naruto wondered if it had been him becoming too much like the person he was _pretending_ to be.

"Oh!" A woman's surprised exclamation startled him out of his gloomy thoughts. Oh man, was he _brooding_? Alright, enough was enough. He was not about to let himself turn into an emo!

Before he could act on his resolution though, Naruto spotted several _things_ flying his way. Reflexively, he grabbed the first… plate? Then a… cup? And another… plate? More plates. Couple of bowls. Another plate. Another cup…

By the time his vision cleared, Naruto found he had a stack of chinaware neatly piled in his hands.

He had caught them all! It was him. No Sharingan. No Itachi. Just the result of training his regular eyesight tirelessly on motion tracking for the past month!

If he was alone, Naruto would have whooped for joy.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack, Itachi!" Standing by a doorway to the side, Mikoto's annoyed face was revealed behind a smaller stack of dishes. "Don't creep up on me like that! How many times do I have to remind you that your ANBU tricks are off-limit in this house?"

Excitement instantly replaced by embarrassment, Naruto felt his cheeks slowly heating up. "My apologies, mother. I was lost in thought."

The way Mikoto stared at him made Naruto wonder if he had said something wrong. "Itachi, are you feeling alright?"

Confused, Naruto still replied, "Yes, I am fine."

Mikoto continued to stare at him uncertainly, but made no clarification on her odd expression. "Well, it's good that you caught those dishes. You can give them to me now."

Eying the huge stack of chinaware that he got in front of him, Naruto did not think he could conscientiously dump it all back onto Mikoto's hands. "I could hold them for you. Where do you want them?"

If anything, Mikoto's eyes only widened even further. Um, did Itachi never help out with chores or something? "Kitchen shelves… Itachi, weren't you getting your new mission today?"

Naruto fought back the scowl that threatened to return to his face at the thought of his so-called 'mission.' "Yes, but it consists of desk work… again."

"I see." Mikoto peered at him owlishly. "Can you talk about it?"

Um, the mission _was_ B-rank—and unclassified. Even semi-retired jounins like Mikoto could look it up if they really wanted to… So Naruto nodded. "The mission involves an annual review of our current trade agreement with _Kusagakure no Satou_."

Sorting his stack of plates and bowls into their respective piles on the kitchen shelves, he saw Mikoto smiling gently at him from the other side. "That sounds like an important mission. You'll be authorized as the village's representative if amendments are found to be necessary, correct?"

Naruto nodded again. Was that supposed to make him feel better?

"Are you the only one assigned to this mission?" Mikoto asked after putting away her pile. Unsurprisingly, she was done before him.

"No," Naruto replied as he stacked the last few plates onto the shelves. "I am the leader for a team of nine chuunin."

To him, the whole arrangement was rather suspicious. If the mission was only a review of old records, then it should not have required so many ninjas—B-rank mission or not…

"That's the standard for making bilateral agreements with a minor ninja village." See? Pausing in her steps before taking out some vegetables from the fridge, even Mikoto seemed to have observed something unusual about the setup. "Perhaps you should be prepared for follow-up missions of a similar nature."

That was what Naruto feared. Those meddlesome med-nins had said that _he_ should not physically overexert himself, but that did not mean he was an invalid! He could still use chakra. He could still perform ninjutsu. And he damn well could still fight!

So why did Sandaime-jiichan keep on giving him virtually _civilian_ missions? Last week it had been to secure iron supplies from a fresh mine opening up its operation close to Konoha. The week before that had been to placate the more distant mine their village was terminating a contract with… And now, the Old Man wanted him to examine if they had been overcharged on their supply of rare herbs from Kusa?

Naruto had been on several S-rank missions before, but he could have sworn none of them was as bad as those _B_ and _C-rank_ missions. No, scratch that, those were even worse than Capture-Tora-the-Cat missions! And _that_ was saying something. Physical exhaustion was something he could recover from, but mental fatigue from going stir-crazy behind a desk? From making 'polite conversation'? Naruto had never felt so inadequate since the day he failed his third Academy graduation exam!

However, if he was honest enough with himself, Naruto supposed he was just really disturbed by the nagging suspicion that 'Itachi' was being quarantined like the rest of his clan. Or worse, 'contained' like his past self.

It could be the paperwork getting to him, but Naruto could not help but wonder if he had come to the wrong conclusions about Sandaime-jiichan's orders four weeks ago. Had he interpret those unspoken clues wrongly? Had he been overconfident about the position of favor 'Itachi' held with the Old Man? Had he been… deluding himself?

He must have stayed silent for too long though, because Mikoto stopped in her motion of washing the cabbage leaves and turned around to him with a concerned expression. "Is something bothering you, Itachi?"

Discerning the worry in her eyes, Naruto felt his throat constricting. Damn this body's genetics for making him act so angsty, but why was she asking the question? Itachi had closed himself off from his family as he grew older, and Naruto could not recall Mikoto having ever pressed the issue. So why did she suddenly decide to change _their_ established pattern of interaction? It made no sense to Naruto.

Despite the temptation of motherly comfort offered so close within his reach, Naruto found himself shying away with a half-truth, "I am a little concerned with my lack of recent field missions."

Surprisingly, Mikoto just chuckled. "You are always over-thinking things, Itachi. As soon as they clear up that nasty poison from your system, I'm sure you'll be placed back on the roster for field missions."

Naruto had to wonder if she even remembered that it was 'Itachi' who introduced the poison to this body in the first place. In fact, Naruto was unsure if he should tell her that the poison was mostly gone by now—and that it was the damages already done that were posing a problem. Unlike his past self, he no longer had Kyuubi's cursed blessing of accelerated healing rate.

In any case, he was pretty sure she wasn't ready to hear her eldest son might die within the next fifteen years.

…Even if he were to become a civilian.

.

Sitting at the edge of Uchiha clan's own training ground, Naruto halfheartedly observed several children practicing their basic _Katon_ techniques.

'Public' training sessions like this one were pretty meaningless in his eyes. Most of the children here had already learned their techniques at home, and really had no need for tutoring. If anything, this training ground was more a stage of showcasing 'talents' than a place of true learning.

Itachi had disliked it. Fukurou had absolutely hated it.

Orphaned clan wards like Fukurou tended to be the butt of ridicule at this place. They often had no close relatives to teach them those jutsu beforehand and ended up seemingly 'slow' when being taught for the first time. Of course, many of them were talented enough to rise above such taunts and even surpass certain 'prodigies.' With the clan prizing personal excellence so much, the rampant peer pressure was actually seen as a good motivator.

Naruto certainly could not deny some of this crazy clan's best ninjas were, in fact, produced that way. Shinobi like _Shunshin no Shisui_, kunoichi like _Bushin no Fukurou_… they had all been what would be considered 'late-boomers' among the Uchiha.

So neither of them had hit it off to a good start with the 'sheltered' clan heir at the beginning…

"Now that you are taught the hand seals, make your attempt at _Goukakyu no Jutsu_!" The familiar jutsu name barked out by an off-duty Konoha Military Police officer caught Naruto's interest. Sasuke had boasted of knowing this coming-of-age technique for weeks, so he would most likely be among those Academy students ready to show off their skills.

"_Hai_!" Sure enough, Naruto easily spotted Sasuke's short form among the taller kids as they chorused in response to their instructor. As each of the dark-clad children made his or her own hand seals for the technique, fireballs of all sizes quickly began to explode over Nakano River.

Despite his age, Sasuke's was one of the biggest ones.

As soon as he had finished exhaling all the fire created by his chakra, Sasuke swiftly turned to Naruto's direction. Seeing those big eyes silently asking for his approval, Naruto felt his lips twisting into a smile despite the pain it caused him.

"_Good job_," Naruto mouthed.

Sasuke reacted with a wide smile of his own—which disappeared when his eyes fell on the blond child leaning against Naruto. Humphing, Sasuke turned back to the river without another glance.

Naruto had to consciously hold himself back from pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Sasuke… He doesn't like me, does he?" the chibi asked quietly from his position beside Naruto.

"Ah, he's just jealous," Naruto heard himself chuckling. He tried not to grimace at how horribly the sound still grated against his ears. Oh well, improvements could come one at a time.

"Jealous?" The doubt in the chibi's voice was almost palpable. "Why?"

Looking down to meet those blue eyes he once had, Naruto pursed his lips. Good question. How could he explain the concept to a child who had little emotional attachments up to this point? "Hmm, consider if Hokage-sama suddenly stopped coming to visit you for your weekly ramen treat. You wouldn't be very happy with the person who made it happen, would you?"

The chibi frowned, then screwed his eyes shut as if in a strenuous mental process—which, considering his age, it probably was.

Naruto had to wait for the KMP officer to start his lessons with genin in the clan before the chibi finally replied, "No. I think I'd be real mad."

"You mean 'I'd be _really_ mad,'" Naruto automatically made the correction before he could think through what he said.

Whoa, did he just channel Iruka-sensei? He had better not be developing multiple personalities!

Brushing aside the queasy thought, Naruto continued with his explanation, "Anyway, you could say Sasuke is 'mad' about me spending time with you…"

"But he sees you more often than me!" the chibi instantly protested.

Naruto barely stopped himself from wincing. Okay, was it so wrong of him to find it awkward facing the one publicly entitled to _his_ identity? And he had to leave _some_ work for those ANBU guards Sandaime-jiichan assigned to 'Naruto,' right? "Actually, I see both of you for the same amount of time each day. I see you before school, I see you after school. But I believe Sasuke wants me to spend more time with him than I with you."

"You should, you know," the chibi said in an overtly chipper tone.

Recognizing the warning signs in his past self's body language, Naruto carefully asked in a neutral tone, "Why?"

"Aren't you his brother?" The chibi rolled his eyes, as though the answer was obvious.

Naruto stared blankly at the chibi. Well, the hell with half-truths. "I am. But I also consider you as a little brother."

Blue eyes swiveled to him in disbelief. Before the kid could make a response though, a loud and familiar voice called for Naruto from down on the training grounds…

"Itachi-sama, can you show us a cool technique? One that you used against the Traitor?"

* * *

**A/N:** Was the time-skip too abrupt? And while Naruto's finding it hard to identify himself, I'm finding it hard to write _him_. He couldn't exactly stay the same after everything, but had his changes been somewhat reasonable?

Is this arc is still keeping people's interest? I realize it hasn't been very 'action-y' so far… Feedback would be much appreciated.


	15. ARC 2: Red Dawn

- **CHAPTER 15 - Red Dawn -  
**

.

Recognizing the voice almost instantly, Naruto blinked.

'_Tansui, what are you trying to ask?_'

Well, the other teenager must have figured out his lame wordplay from a month ago by now. Naruto never expected it to hold out for long anyway. 'Itachi' was obviously the only other person who faced off against Madara early that night—he alone could have used the technique that hit Fukurou by surprise and somehow landed her in that weird coma.

Tansui might never be as intuitive a ninja as his famed siblings, but he was far from stupid. Question was: why haven't Tansui confronted him _directly_ if this was really an issue with the genin?

Why had Tansui asked him to disclose Itachi's little-known skills in public instead?

His mind quickly supplied some disturbing suggestions, but Naruto squashed them just as quickly. He would never falsely accuse a comrade! He already knew just how bad that could make a person feel!

So patting his past self's back as he stood up, Naruto merely replied, "Most of those techniques won't be suited for a demo, Tansui."

Wait, did he just make another calculated move? Naruto frowned inwardly after realizing that _simple _pat had just reassured the chibi and warned the others about his guardianship in one fell swoop—his subconscious must be more messed up than he thought.

Frustrated with how far he was falling into this pretend-I'm-Itachi business, Naruto did not even bother to hide his annoyance as he refocused on Tansui's disappointed face. "They'd be overkill."

However… it was a refreshing change to have Tansui slowly coming out of that discomforting awe of him. Not wanting the genin to shy away in the future, Naruto glanced at the KMP officer who had been on teaching duty today and added, "But if Inabi-san permits, I can demonstrate my application of _Bunka no Jutsu_. The technique itself is only D-rank, but it can be very useful for…"

"What? That's…"

"Come on, not the…"

"We've…"

Naruto paused mid-sentence. He stared at the crowd of genins before him… and stared.

He just lost track of what he was going to say! Darn it, why couldn't they start with the grumbles _after_ he had finished? Was this payback for the times he trashed Iruka-sensei's lessons out of boredom?

Surprisingly, it was Inabi who saved him from the awkward moment. Judging from the KMP officer's sneer though, that probably hadn't been the intent. "My students don't need a review of last week's material, Itachi-_kun_."

Naruto saw a lanky boy ready to protest in the front rows, "Don't diss…"

Whatever Itachi's cousin (thrice-removed…) wanted to say, it was muffled under the hands of a nervously smiling Tansui. "Shirogiku-sensei told Koma to give his sore throat a rest, but I guess he really wanted to say we shouldn't dis… dismiss Itachi-sama's suggestion so quickly. There must be a good reason why Itachi-sama picked this technique!"

"Hn," Inabi did not seem convinced—or pleased. In fact, the officer's expression was one that Naruto could have sworn was _disappointment_. "Just as you're sure he has a good reason for killing Shi…"

Tansui's own expression had hardened, "Please keep my brother out of your own issue with Itachi-sama, Inabi-sensei."

Naruto shifted his feet. Okay, so what if he didn't make the connection right away? It had been two years since Inabi and the others came to question Itachi. Two years since Itachi made a mockery of Their Presumptuousness with simple, textbook punches. Two _frigging_ years! Arrogant pricks and their stupid grudges…

But how was it that no one, not even Tansui, seem to deny Inabi's none-too-subtle accusation? Naruto would have thought Fugaku had cleared Itachi's name in the clan by now…

"I didn't kill Shisui."

The defensive retort slipped out of Naruto's mouth before he could stop himself. Finding disbelief and wariness on a number of faces around him though, Naruto could only guess Fugaku had indeed kept his debriefing that day under wraps. For what purpose, Naruto was a little afraid to guess.

In any case, Naruto was tired of this entire charade. It angered him, to see these people suspecting Itachi despite everything the man had done for them—just because of Itachi's own pretense. It frustrated him, too, to realize he had merely become another social pariah in spite of everything he did to fit into another man's role—just because of his own pretense.

And so, turning to face one of the few people who relaxed at his admission, Naruto spoke the simple truth—loud and clear: "Madara did."

He noticed a clench in Tansui's jaw… as well as Koma's fearful look.

Naruto slowly released his own clenched fists. If he was already giving this much information without authorization, then what was holding him back from revealing more? "He was trying to force my activation of the Mange…"

"Cut it!" Inabi's fury was evident from his growl, even if Naruto was not looking at the KMP officer. "I don't know why Fugaku-sama has condoned your past actions, but you are clearly about to break a clan law just now!"

"Laws have not always existed," Naruto was not going to admit how much the word 'law' stung him right now, especially when he had just realized how much of his own childhood he seemed to be reliving. "And the purpose of their creation is not always remembered… or met."

Before Inabi could scold him for his 'non-sense', Naruto had coolly caught the officer's eyes with his own. "For example, this law about no public discussion of _Mangekyou Sharingan_…"

Naruto heard gasps in the background—and not just from genin section of his young audience. _That_ observation brought a wry smile to his lips. "How many of us have actually learned the phrase as a genin?"

"Through _laws_, this clan tries to use ignorance to hide all knowledge of these cursed eyes…" Forcing excess heat behind his gaze, Naruto resisted the temptation to look in Sasuke's direction. Itachi had better appreciate the lengths to which he was going to cover up for these leaks! "…Or in failing, relies on individual conscience to discourage their active pursuit."

In the tense silence that followed, Naruto grinned widely as warm drops of liquid trickled down his painfully protesting cheeks. "But if he or she were told from the start, would a sensible ninja still desire _tools_…"

Yes, tools. For was that not what the Mangekyou Sharingan really boil down to? It is an augmentation—not a replacement for skills. In that sense, the regular Sharingan was really more than sufficient in most combat situations…

After all, its costs were much lower. "…whose prolonged use would lead to certain blindness?"

Something flickered at the edge of his vision before his bleeding eyes were covered, breaking his hypnosis.

"Deactivate them, damn it!" Tansui's tone was uncharacteristically forceful. "Isn't it enough to just tell us that?"

"You were curious," Naruto replied, still grinning. He mentally cursed at himself for falling back on Itachi's habits again, but did not regret using the doujutsu. Extreme situations called for extreme measures—and the Uchihas were anything _but _a moderate clan. Nevertheless, he did cut off the blistering chakra going behind his eyes now that he had made a visual show of his point. "I didn't want to disappoint."

"Okay, but did you really have to grin?" Tansui's voice was still sour as Naruto gently pried the genin's hands away. Was that Inabi who had fallen unconscious to the ground? He hadn't thought that particular doujutsu was that damaging… "It looks awkward."

Naruto's grin nearly slipped at that last comment. Um, well, he _had_ been working towards it in gradual increments around the village… but perhaps a month was still not enough for people to get used to the idea of a _grinning_ 'Itachi'?

He was not about to give up though. If the change still seemed too abrupt after a few weeks, then what about two months? Three months? One year? Two years? If he kept at it, people would _have _to start seeing him as the person he truly was, right? It should not matter what alias he was under; calling an apple 'orange' would not truly turn it into an orange.

Naruto suddenly realized how far he had been burying himself in self-pity for the past weeks.

So what if he was known by 'Uchiha Itachi' now? As long as he arose no suspicion, whoever said he could not live his life as 'Uzumaki Naruto' would?

Like many of his clan members with active Sharingan, Itachi had a surprisingly simplified view of the world: people were either allies or enemies. The lines between those two could be blurred with deceptions, but his perceptions of their true nature would remain strictly black-and-white. He could do everything for his allies, and do everything to his enemies. And so, even against his own sensitivities, Itachi could execute his friends, his superiors, his lover, his father and his mother—when they became the 'enemy.'

Such a thing was unthinkable for Naruto, whose world included _comrades_. Comrades might go astray, but you wouldn't just _give up_ on them. Besides, it was not in his _nindou_ to give up.

How could he have forgotten he still had a whole clan to change?

Dulling his grin into a grim smile, Naruto refocused on _his_ new family with renewed resolve. "As you can see, Madara succeeded. I have since then suffered the curse of Mangekyou Sharingan, just as he has. These eyes can be a formidable tool, but one that exacts a hefty price. Even now, my eyesight is far from perfect…"

Yes, half-truths in Itachi-style—but for Naruto-style solution!

"I… I have a question." A girl to Tansui's left raised her hands timidly. Naruto blinked before realizing she had somehow taken his spontaneous spiel to be an actual lesson.

Giving his cheeks a rest, Naruto maintained a faint smile of amusement. "Ask away."

"I was thinking… I thought… Couldn't you use the regular Sharingan to enhance your deteriorated eyesight?" The girl's face was fully flushed now. Probably out of embarrassment from everyone's eyes focused on her?

"It could," Naruto conceded as he considered her question. That _was_ the quick-and-dirty fix that Itachi used… "But its effect would be limited by my normal eyesight. And our eyes, in their natural form, are a far more essential tool than the Sharingan and Mangekyou Sharingan could ever be."

"Oh…"

"It can't be that…"

"But what if…"

Naruto sighed as his audience decided to start another round of internal discussions. Maybe this experience was exactly what he had to go through before he could improvise a lecture like Iruka-sensei… Certainly, he had no lack of words now. "There is _no_ shortcut. Every skill demands a price—be it taijutsu, ninjutsu, genjutsu, or doujutsu. Greater the power, greater the price. Sometimes, they only require physical conditioning or chakra expenditure… such costs are short-term. But for Mangekyou Sharingan, the price is long-term and irreversible; it is better off not being used at all. Indeed, Madara is a fearsome ninja not because of what he can do with Mangekyou Sharingan, but because how much he can accomplish _without_ it."

The old fossil's name seemed to have shut the kids up. How nice.

Feeding chakra into his eyes again, Naruto took out some shurikens from his weapon pouch and walked towards an empty target. "This would be what I can accomplish with the regular Sharingan…"

Flinging them towards the target, Naruto brought his hands into a ram seal for concentration as the shurikens sailed through the air and made rapid contacts with the wooden board.

All of them hit the zone around bull's-eye.

Turning back to the crowd, Naruto was unsurprised to find confused faces. "Unremarkable, isn't it? I had applied an advanced illusion to those shurikens, but such a technique is obviously only effective against an affected subject. In this case, the target is inanimate and has no chakra I can manipulate."

Naruto waited for the tittering laughter to die down before he took out some more shurikens. "Even if I face a human opponent, my doujutsu would have only worked against one person—I place myself at risk if he or she has a partner or team. Also, against a master of Sharingan, this technique would have been useless. However, _this_ would be what I can accomplish even without the Sharingan…"

Throwing the shurikens towards their target, Naruto mimicked the hand seals he used that night. After he completed the motion in a blur, the shurikens began to transform into crows that rapidly divided and dispersed into a big flock.

If there were still low whispers and mumbles before, there were none in the whole training ground now. All that could be heard were echoes of Nakano River's currents flowing and rushing past its bedrock. His murder of crows, of course, was completely silent.

"That," Naruto smiled as he caught Sasuke's widening eyes from the other side of the training ground, "was _Bunka no Jutsu_, a D-rank technique that bridges _Bunshin no Jutsu_ and _Henge no Jutsu_. I have found it to be perfect for masking your weapon in a variety of forms and solidifying their disguise—and I used it against Madara even with his Mangekyou Sharingan fully active."

Coming back to his immediate audience though, Naruto frowned slightly when he observed dubious looks. Hey, he spoke the truth! "True, this technique is still an illusion, but the pocket of chakra concentrated around each weapon would be too thick for an opponent to analyze in time—especially if you bombard him or her with a multitude of them. Depending on his or her level of experience, a Sharingan user might have trouble reacting to the sudden unpredictability of _all_ your weapons…"

Recalling a few crows back to his shoulders for chakra conservation, Naruto tried to sort through the many layers of his confused memory from that night, "…It is useful as a distraction, and I have successfully used this tactic to hide my follow-up technique from Madara. He never caught my second jutsu."

For that matter, did anyone ever caught Itachi's _real_ illusion? Talk about oxymora…

As the children erupted into another bout of excited and curious questions before he could actually explain how _he_ tweaked the technique to be more flexible, Naruto sighed audibly—again. Trying to change this stuffy clan from their set ways? Trying to mold the next generation of Uchihas into holding a healthier view of developing their bloodline limit? He sure had a lot of work cut out for him.

The Academy was staffed with chuunins. Naruto could only hope he would never be assigned there.

.

"Snow-spot mushrooms." Hmm, that was too sibilant. He was not Orochimaru!

"Bow root." Okay, no need to sound so snappish either. He was not Kiba.

"Swamp yarrow." Ah, perfect. Smooth like Itachi, energetic like… himself!

Wait. Was this list of herbs what he thought it might be?

Naruto squinted at the list of herb names that he had been using to test out his own enunciation. He was actually going to review Konoha's proposed amendments to its trade agreement with Kusa this evening (before his first team meeting and preliminary report to Sandaime-jiji tomorrow), but he was just so bored out of his mind with the paperwork!

Anyway, he was starting to wonder why these particular herbs are being requested in such large amounts by his village all of a sudden. Without considering their exact proportions, the combination of them together was disturbingly similar to the neuro-toxin formula that Sasori originally gave to Itachi…

Someone knocked on his door.

"Please come in," Naruto said even as he straightened up from his lazy slouch.

The paper screen slid open, revealing Uchiha Fugaku.

Despite having lived with this man under the same roof for about a month, Naruto still involuntarily tensed. It felt like he was betraying his own father if he mentally replaced him with Fugaku. Itachi's archaic honorific had never seemed as helpful for distinguishing them as it did these days… "Chichiue."

"Itachi," was the KMP leader's own stiff reply after he seated himself.

Falling into an eerie silence, neither of them apparently wanted to be the first one to go ahead and start speaking. So Naruto began to self-consciously collect the scrolls that he had taken out of the Hokage Archive, placing them in a neat pile on the far side of his long desk.

By the time Naruto started to clear off his writing utensils as well, Fugaku finally spoke, "What is this I heard about you breaking a clan law?"

"I merely observed the true spirit of the law," Naruto murmured as he tried to meet the man's dark eyes without hesitation. "We were told not to speak of the Mangekyou Sharingan in public, fearing it would otherwise encourage intentional pursuits…"

"So you decided to tell them the harm of gaining them instead?" Fugaku abruptly cut in. Naruto tried not to gulp at the stern line that 'his' father had set his lips into. "What will you answer when they ask how your eyesight have not deteriorated as you claimed?"

"I will only use those eyes as a last resort," Naruto replied calmly, belying his own odd insecurity. Damn it, why should it matter to him if he had somehow angered Itachi's father? He knew he was doing the right thing! "…and most likely, only against another Uchiha possessing the Mangekyou Sharingan."

"Then what would be the point of you gaining the Eien no Mangekyou Sharingan?" Fugaku narrowed his eyes dangerously. "You are letting your talent going to waste!"

"I do not feel that they are essential for most combats." Naruto narrowed his eyes in warning as well. He hated how this man just expected him to flaunt the product of Itachi's heavy sacrifice like it was somehow his _duty_! Why did Itachi ever put up with the endless pressure that Fugaku constantly piled up on him again? "Normal ninjutsu and genjutsu can be just as effective… if not far less draining."

"Yes… But they can be good for our morale." Fugaku stared at him for a moment, before letting out a soft sigh. "And no one is above the laws in this clan except _me_. I alone have the authority to change them if the need arises. Why didn't you discuss your plan with me before you went through with it?"

"I…" Naruto suddenly felt less sure about his previous vindication. It was true that he _hadn't_ thought things through before acting on whatever his mind happened to come up with… But… but… he just _wasn't_ used to planning ahead!

Itachi's last conversation with him came to mind though.

"I am sorry," Naruto reluctantly lowered his head as he added another action item to his rapidly growing 'to-do' list. "I will be more careful in the future."

"You are lucky that you are my eldest son. Regardless of your status, you will always be seen as my unofficial proxy in this clan." Tapping on the desk, Fugaku's lips remained pursed. "I believe this blunder of yours is not entirely unsalvageable, but you would first have to formally accept the position of Uchiha clan heir."

Naruto froze. There was a reason why Itachi never allowed himself to swear in as the heir, even when he was all but slated to become a jounin after a few years of ANBU service. Being the heir meant being responsible for the whole clan's welfare. Under no circumstances would he ever be allowed to act against the clan's interests. If Itachi had been the heir, he would have been honor-bound to truly spy for the clan during his double-agent stint. While there was nothing to prevent him from simply ignoring the oath after being appointed, that was not an idea either Itachi or Naruto would truly feel comfortable with.

But would it matter now? Naruto had already decided that he would protect Sasuke and his family—hence, the Uchiha clan by extension. He had also cited his pursuit for the Hokage position as a way to mend this clan's straining ties with Konoha… How much more would it take for him to formalize his decision with a simple reassurance to them?

So lifting up his head, Naruto gave a confident smile. "I would be honored."

Fugaku's eyes widened for a bit, before the man settled his lips into a faint smile as well. "Good. I will inform the clan and make preparations for the ceremony."

Huh, ceremony? Naruto was not sure what kind of trouble _that_ would entail, but he kept on smiling. Yeah, smile and nod, smile and nod… Argh, Sai would never let him hear the end of this if he found out that Uzumaki Naruto was following his advice!

"Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

Naruto stood up instantly at the sound of the scream. Fugaku seemed… concerned, too? "That seems to be your ward."

"Yes." Naruto hastily slid open the door, but not before giving a small nod. "Please excuse me."

He did not wait for Fugaku's response before speeding across the hallway. He did not even acknowledge a bleary Sasuke looking out of his own room's door to the side.

Spotting his past self's twitching form in a futon, Naruto bit his lips when he saw the thin layer of red chakra slowly leaking out of the chibi's body. Cursing the Fuzz-Ball, past and future, Naruto activated his Mangekyou Sharingan—eyes that he had just said he would avoid using not more than a few minutes ago.

"Wake up, chibi." Naruto coated his own hands with chakra as they broke through Kyuubi's barrier to shake his past self's thin frame. "It's a goddamn nightmare!"

The chibi cracked open an eye after wincing, and Naruto subconsciously loosened his hold on the boy.

Not before Naruto exploited the opening and plunged into his younger self's mind…

* * *

**A/N:** That should be the end to Naruto's angst-fest… for now. I've no idea if his thought process came out natural/logical. Feedback welcomed.

P.S. About 445: WTF? Do I have to change chibi!Naruto's nickname now that it's canon for a _dog_?


	16. ARC 2: Close Encounters

- **CHAPTER 16 - Close Encounters -  
**

.

"**Tsk, spoilsport.**"

Behind thin bars, two red eyes glowed ominously in the darkness.

Before those same bars, eight white columns glowed majestically like the sun.

Naruto relaxed after sensing his technique settled. However, once he took a quick glance around him, Naruto felt his eyes burning hotter than ever at the sight of dilapidated pipes. That stupid fox… "Your idea of fun is twisted as ever, _Fuzz-Ball_."

Much as he expected, tails immediately lashed out of the bars. "**You pitiful Flesh-Ba…!**"

The demon's furious retort ended in a pained hiss as those tails hit a translucent barrier between the eight columns. Feeling an overwhelming surge of chakra flooding into him through his eyes, Naruto hurriedly diffused it before its sheer volume could seriously damage his ocular pathways.

"Come on, can't you be any more original with your insults?" Naruto resisted the urge to rub his sore eyes; he could not afford to display any weakness in front of this manipulative demon. "And if _pitiful_ Flesh-Bags can stop you, what does that say about the _almighty_ Kyuubi no Youko?"

"**You are so smug now, Uchiha,**" Fuzz-Ball growled as he withdrew his tails—no doubt trying to regenerate the burnt parts again. When would the demon learn that as long as Madara's contract held, a crude combination of Hachiman and Takemikazuchi can _seal_ as well as absorb his chakra? "**But wait until I find the flaw in your detestable doujutsu… Then I will devour you and your accursed clan!**"

"Oh? Your lack of intelligence continues to astound me." Naruto ignored Fuzz-Ball's hissy fit with practiced ease as he moved to locate his past self. "But then, I suppose one cannot expect a _beast_ to grasp human creativity."

After making sure his preliminary find was not a simple reflection, Naruto frowned as he approached a shimmer of white under the murky water some distance away. No bubble floating to the surface? The kid had either died or was pretending so he could…

Fishing the boy out by the back of a soaked t-shirt, Naruto smiled wryly. Even knowing this was supposed to be his past self, it was sometimes hard to see the chibi as anything other than an idiotic brat unable to come up with decent disguises like Konohamaru—once upon a time. "This is in your mind, Naruto-kun. You can find out what Fuzz-Ball has to say without going to such lengths."

Being able to survive underwater for so long without breathing was proof enough.

Behind him was a rumbling laughter. "**Hehahaha... Of course he eavesdrops. For a runt, he is quite smart. He knows no one can trust an Uchiha!**"

Only the heat behind his eyes reminded Naruto to stay composed as he slowly turned to face Fuzz-Ball. "My clan disowned Madara decades ago. His actions hardly represent the Uchiha."

"**Whoever said I was speaking of Madara?**" Fuzz-Ball gave him one of those toothy sneers. "**I was referring to _you_, Uchiha. If you haven't been trying to leech away more of my chakra, why haven't you sealed me off completely?**"

Naruto finally felt an almost imperceptible shift in the dead weight he held, and his grip tightened. "I would once I figure out how."

"**So you admit it!**" The demon howled in triumph. "**Hear that, runt? Your so-called _guardian_ lied to you. He has no way of protecting you forever!**"

Mentally cursing at himself for giving Fuzz-Ball an opening, Naruto tried to remedy his slip. "Of course I won't protect him forever…" Before the demon can twist his words somehow, Naruto pressed on with the sentence confidently, "…because I know someday he will be able to protect himself against you as a strong ninja in his own right. My promise holds as long as he needs it. And it _was_ Yondaime-sama's original plan to keep your power available for Naruto-kun to use."

Trust the Fuzz-Ball to lash out against the bars at the mention of his sealer—but carefully avoided the barrier _he_ erected. "**Grr… That forsaken man can burn with his damned plan in the lowest pit of hell! I would never share my power!**"

"Nor would I want you to." Naruto gently lowered his past self onto a floor that was now suspiciously clear of water. He could not force the chibi to trust him, but at least he could show his sincerity by living up to his words. "Your chakra shortens Naruto-kun's lifespan. Perhaps you should remember your lives are tied when you want to go on another temper tantrum again?"

"**Or you can release me from this blasted seal,**" Fuzz-Ball quickly suggested, and not for the first time. "**Make a contract with me, and I will leave you and the brat alone.**"

"Now who's the one lying?" Naruto straightened up again as he gave his best imitation of Itachi's cool look. "I doubt even a creature as dense as you would agree to the same terms Madara tricked you into—_again_."

Now, not even Itachi knew what those terms were. But Naruto would not mind if Fuzz-Ball went ahead and gave a clue or two…

Too bad the demon was not as stupid as Naruto tried to insinuate. After a long silence, Naruto finally resigned himself to exit the oppressive mind-scape without any further discoveries. Perhaps he could prod the chibi to talk more about this latest lapse of control after they were free of Fuzz-Ball's unpleasant presence.

However, just then, said demon gritting out, "**What if I agree to those terms?**"

Fuzz-Ball wanted to be out of this sewer-like prison that badly, huh? Naruto lifted an eyebrow but sighed. "You just don't understand, do you? I will never release you from this seal—not if it would kill Naruto-kun."

"**I can grant you immortality too!**" Fuzz-Ball's voice turned shrill as Naruto proceeded to touch Futsunomitama's blade from where he nailed it on ends of the original banderols; the sword docilely melted back into his hands.

"Immortality is overrated." Assessing his new chakra reserve, Naruto chuckled as he released the smallest number of white columns since his first experiment with Hachiman almost a month ago: one.

"**Stop! Why do you care for an unrelated orphan anyway?**" Fuzz-Ball was certainly not hiding his desperation now. Well, it looked as if isolation was truly the bane of all intelligent beings—even demons.

Naruto had a moment of doubt as he wondered if he was doing the same thing as what drove Ichibi mad before it was sealed into Gaara. Okay, maybe Shukaku was not exactly sane to begin with, but to be so incoherent… Nevertheless, Naruto did not regret his decision. "He is my ward. Naruto-kun may be too old to be my son, but he is certainly like a little brother to me."

And while he might just have enough chakra now to affix all eight banderols inside his past self's mind for extended periods of time, _Hakke no Fuuin Shiki_ was an even-numbered seal—it can only be imbalanced by an odd-numbered seal. Without Futsunomitama to serve as a temporary ninth point of blockage in emergencies, seven was as many as Naruto could afford until he could learn more about seals. In any case, with this many sealing points, the demon's chakra should be heavily suppressed for a while even without him here.

"**Grrrr!! You'll regret this! Don't think you can fool me, Uz…**" Fuzz-Ball's words had indeed become more distant. "**Watch if you can keep up this pretense when I can finally tell your precious ward that you're really his f…**"

Naruto's eyes narrowed when the demon's last sentence was cut off abruptly. The first revelation that Fuzz-Ball could have made might be merely a muffled start of Itachi's last name, but that last slur… Staring at the small slip of paper attached to the central bars, Naruto was caught between fear and hope as possibilities cycled through his mind.

"You're really my what?" the question jerked him out of his thoughts as Naruto looked down in surprise.

While he was glad to have his past self finally letting go of that awful pretense, Naruto was unsure how to answer. Could he afford telling the chibi about the real Itachi? Could he risk telling the kid about the other future? Once his past self's perception of him changed, he would no longer be able to maintain Itachi's form in this mind-scape. After all, this was no longer his mind to control.

"I'm your…" Naruto paused briefly before grabbing his past self and heading into another corridor in the chibi's mind-scape, "father's executor."

It could be cowardice. It could be prudence. Naruto did not know what _exactly_ stopped him from giving the plain truth.

"Ex… Excu…" The chibi's face scrunched up slightly, reminding Naruto that he was talking to his seven-year-old self. Well, it was a little hard to remember to watch his wording when neither Sasuke nor Naruto were willing to admit ignorance during their daily conversations.

"Executor," Naruto finally supplied the word after a few failed tries from the kid. He hoped he hadn't hurt the chibi's pride… too much. "I am responsible for ensuring your father's will is carried out."

In a convoluted way, he was being entirely truthful.

"Huh?" His past self blinked in confusion before sitting up in a flash. "Wait, you know my father?!"

"Not exactly." Naruto tried not to scratch his head nervously—and succeeded in tousling the brat's hair instead. Man, he really missed his short hair! "I've seen his will, and Hokage-sama believes that I am the best person for carrying it out."

Great, now he probably had to cover this fib up from Sandaime-jiichan's end too. Naruto shifted the focus of this conversation before he could dig himself into the ground any further, "He wants you to be protected until you can grow strong enough to protect yourself and Konoha."

It sounded rather bland when he took out so much of the details—and he hadn't broached the whole Destined Child business either. 'Selfish' or not, Naruto didn't want his alternate self to bear the same burden that he once did. Not until ero-sennin decided to reveal it _himself_ this time.

"Why would you want to hide that?" the chibi asked below him, still visibly confused.

"Because you'll start asking me who your father was," Naruto smiled in response as he recalled his childhood fantasies. Who would have thought he was so close to the truth?

"Can't you tell me?" The kid tugged on his pants and started to give him _his_ Uzumaki puppy eyes. Argh, was that how those looked like? Okay, Iruka-sensei, sorry for having ever laughed at you behind your back for caving in so easily for ramen outings…

"Not now, I'm afraid." Smiling sadly, Naruto doubted he had the maturity to keep _that_ particular secret at the chibi's age—not when he used to crave the village's acknowledgment so badly. Sandaime-jiichan might have made a dubious decision when he hid Naruto's paternity, but a belated revelation now would be unlikely to improve the villagers' established prejudices. It was a completely different matter from revealing the truth about Fuzz-Ball, which was already big enough of a public secret that it wasn't worth all the hurt caused in his ignorant past self.

They had to be patient. They had to wait until more people saw the chibi as a normal person—or as normal as a jinchuuriki could be.

"Stingy!" The bratty ingrate made a face. But Naruto felt his smile falter when he recognized those squinting eyes for the disguise they were.

"I need Sandaime-sama's authorization," Naruto yielded as far as he believed to be safe. Besides, he had probably already told the chibi more than he ever did to Itachi.

Perhaps, subconsciously, Naruto hadn't really trusted the former Akatsuki member back then too. Fuzz-Ball had a point: Uchiha were habitual liars to those they perceived to be 'beneath their wisdom'—which was, most often, anyone outside their clan. At the very least, from Itachi's own experience, they might be prone to giving half-truths or speaking in vague terms. In fact, wasn't he doing it just now?

Before Naruto could fully resolve his internal debate on whether it was an okay trait to adopt in this situation, he heard his past self asking tentatively, "Are you mad at me for losing control over the fox?"

"No," Naruto quickly reassured the kid. "Your last relapse was three weeks ago, when I could only apply a weaker seal. You should be much safer now—not that it's an excuse for you to start slacking off!"

"I won't!" the chibi said firmly, before lowering his head uneasily. "I was just trying to practice the seal sequence for Goukakyu no Jutsu."

"Baka!" Naruto gave in to his first response as he mussed up the brat's hair roughly. "Didn't I already tell you how dangerous it is to access large amounts of your chakra? With your damaged pathways, you should practice control, not techniques!"

"But it's so unfair!" his past self's messy head snapped up. "At this rate, I'll never ever catch up to Sasuke!"

Naruto stopped his hands in mid-motion. "You were there when I talked about the danger of relying on advanced techniques. Even before Madara did you in, you were already lagging behind Sasuke. Chakra control is one of the few areas you can catch up to him in a short time—it is often neglected by most ninjas."

"Then why do I need to work on it at all?" the chibi pouted unhappily.

"Because those same ninjas often die at the hands of other ninjas with better control." Alright, he was seriously going into Iruka-sensei mode now. Or Sakura-chan mode. Naruto was unsure which one was worse. "Better control means your hits are only as forceful as they need to be. Better control means surprising and outlasting your opponent in a fight."

And it was something that the chibi would need if he were to grow out of a dependence on Fuzz-Ball's chakra. Now that Naruto was completely cut off from the demon, it was also something that _he_ would need.

In an alternate future, Itachi had mastered the skill to such a point that he could mold his chakra for certain techniques with only one hand. Naruto might not have even fully adjusted to the current level of control this body has achieved, but he was determined to make the necessary effort. In fact, he was ambitious enough to set his longterm goals on _surpassing_ Itachi—either at twenty-one or thirteen. Not counting Rasengan and its derivative techniques, Naruto intended to make every jutsu he knew _seal-less_.

"You mean I can beat Sasuke if I have better control?" The chibi was bouncing up and down in excitement now. Naruto had to grin. Stupid handicap in chakra usage aside, the kid still had enviable stamina to fall back on.

"Not necessarily." Naruto clamped down on his mirth after seeing a much more somber chibi. "You still have to master your basic techniques with _these_…" Hand pokes. "…and stuff more things _here_." Head poke.

"Know-it-all," the chibi's mutter left Naruto wondering if he should have added chakra to his pokes. "But can I really beat Sasuke if I do as you say?"

"Sure," Naruto chuckled dryly as he started to divert chakra away from his eyes, "but how often have you done that?"

"How can I know what to do," the chibi's reply to his rhetorical question had Naruto regretting his _high_ chakra control, "when you always act like you're two different people?"

Of course, once Naruto returned to the real world, his past self completely clammed up about that last and chillingly insightful comment.

.

"The usual, Uchiha-san?"

Naruto smiled faintly as he loosened his stiff stance. "Yes, Yamanaka-san."

Itachi had never made a request about his love life, so this should be… okay, right?

As Naruto patiently waited for Ino's mother to arrange a bundle of white roses, his eyes strayed over to the glass door that opened to the family's backyard. It was quite pathetic, but he was content to simply watch an _alive_ Sakura-chan from afar now and then. Getting any closer to the currently civilian girl would be suspicious, and he already had enough to worry about with his slow but sure modifications to Itachi's image in this village.

"There you go! That will be a hundred _ryou_ altogether."

Staring at the bouquet that blocked his sight without warning, Naruto blinked before numbly taking out said amount from his wallet (which was now black, rectangular, and _boring_… just like its original owner: Itachi). Why did this woman have to work so damn fast? He could have sworn it had been no more than one minute! No, thirty seconds! No, surely it had to be ten seconds! Argh, no, no, no, it must be…

As he continued to walk out of the flower shop with the rose bouquet like a zombie, Naruto was never so glad for the ease with which this body accommodated routines; it took him to a small trail passing the Yamanaka property from the back on auto-pilot—merely two seconds later. And just at the perfect spot to catch conversations, too.

It was reconnaissance practice, really! He was not stalking!

"Did you see him?"

"Of course! You're so lucky, to have him coming to your family's shop all the time!"

"Fukurou-san's luckier! If a man as handsome as Itachi-san visit me with flowers all the time, I'd wake up like the Sleeping Beauty by now!"

Naruto nearly blew his cover behind the bushes. What? He was not buying the roses for Fukurou! Well, ahem, maybe he did… but only because he felt guilty about landing her in that coma!

He was grateful to her for saving Sasuke from Madara's clutch that night, and that was it. He wasn't even sure the ever-duplicitous Itachi cared _that_ much for Fukurou, which made Naruto feel all the guiltier. He wished to honor the kunoichi for her brave actions and respect the girl for her pure intentions, something that Yamanaka-san assured him white roses would represent—right?

Much to his horror, Sakura-chan somehow decided to interpret those flowers at this latest gossip session. "Me too! And can you believe he brings her _white roses_ every time? True love and remembrance! Even an indirect hint at marriage! So romantic!"

Naruto felt his palms turning clammy from sweat. He could only hope Yamanaka-san had not done this to him intentionally. True love? Remembrance? _Marriage_? Okay, the second suggestion was close enough to what he meant to convey, but the first and last… Not even Itachi would go so far in professing such things for Fukurou—no matter how indirect!

As if his poor nerves did not already have enough shock this morning, those giggling girls decided to add another one to his collection. "But Sakura, are you sure he's really loyal? He keeps on looking in your direction whenever you're around."

"Oh no! Did I copy Fukurou-san's hairstyle too closely? " Sakura-chan's concern for his opinion was touching, but he really did not need to hear her next comments… "That had to be it! Itachi-san can't possibly be an icky pedophile!"

Icky… pedophile…

Pedophile…

Pedo…

The words hung heavily over his head like gloomy clouds as he arrived at the Konoha Hospital. They haunted him as he changed the old contents of a vase by Fukurou's bedside. They haunted him as he greeted an oddly gleeful Tansui in the hallway after leaving the kunoichi's ward. They continued to haunt him as he laid face-down on a disinfected bed for the weekly check-up.

"…Really, what could you possibly be thinking?"

Blah, blah, blah. He had heard it all before.

"You're in no shape to perform any jutsu above B-rank!"

Bullshit! It had to be stupid diagnosis like this that kept Sandaime-jiichan from giving him the good missions!

"Are you so impatient to die that you would throw your life away so carelessly?"

Um, that was new. Shirogiku-sensei would never be so… blunt. He felt compelled to acknowledge this strange development with a proper reply—even in his shell-shocked state of mind.

"It was my duty." Unfortunately, confused as his mind was, his reply came out like some mechanical nonsense only _Itachi_ would spew out.

Indeed, there was a pause. And then Shirogiku-sensei was back with a fury. "What the *^*&% is wrong with you, you &*^&%^$ Uchiha loser!!! Duty? The &*%*$ with duty! Sarutobi-sensei said he had you placed on diplomatic missions. What kind of &*%*$ paperwork would require you to use #*&^% A- and S-rank jutsu??!!"

If Naruto's ears were not already ringing by the first pause in her rant, they definitely were doing so painfully when she finished. He never knew Shirogiku-sensei had such a colorful vocabulary when the wrong button was pushed. Man, even _he_ didn't know some of those obscure curse words! "My apologies, I will watch my jutsu usage more carefully in the future."

"More careful about not leaving traces, no doubt," Shirogiku-sensei's retort was uncharacteristically contemptuous. "How did the old Senju saying go? Skip three sentences coming from an Uchiha and you just might start to hear the truth."

"You are very knowledgeable." Naruto grimaced as he waited for the ringing to subside. "Very few people remember the Senju as a clan these days, Shirogiku-sensei."

The silence went on for a longer time this time. Finally, the Head Medical Officer said softly, "And I suppose after Tsunade of the Sannin left, they are all but forgotten in this village…"

"But their legacy would live on as long as Konoha exists," Naruto smiled in fond reminiscence. Even in the village's most trying days, the Will of Fire handed down from Shodai-sama still burned brightly among all the survivors. "And we live in the age of villages now, not clans. Constructs like clans define us superficially. It limits our perspective."

"Yes, you would believe something like that… wouldn't you?" Was it just his imagination, or did Shirogiku-sensei's voice sounded throatier than usual? "Then why did you try so hard to save your clan?"

Huh? When did Sandaime-jiichan brief Shirogiku-sensei on Uchiha clan's almost-massacre? But then, she _was_ Itachi and Fukurou's personal med-nin—and she must have came across many members of that clan through general practice… "My clan is still part of this village, and I would give my life for this village."

"Sounds like things only those fools called _Hokage_ would say." Although her voice was even quieter than usual, Naruto's recovering ears still caught them. Even shocked, Naruto's mind managed to connect some of the inconsistencies in the Head Medical Officer's speech. She used crude curses. She called Sandaime-jiichan 'Sarutobi-sensei'. She knew about an old Senju saying…

"You have just insulted the Hokage," Naruto heard his voice dropping back to Itachi's monotone as he felt his body tensing up from an adrenaline rush. In a blur, his hands moved into a cross seal before he replaced his own clone to grab the weapon pouch he had left with his own clothes on the racks earlier. "You are not Shirogiku-sensei."

However, even as he grabbed a handful of kunai from the pouch, Naruto's eyes widened as new knowledge returned to him from his clone. It had just been dispelled by one _very_ powerful punch to the stomach.

This day just kept on throwing him into a loop. Seriously, what was with all the shocks he had to endure? Or had he simply gone too complacent after a month of relative peace?

But could anyone blame him for turning back and blurting out something totally stupid, when the flushed face he half-expected to see was so familiar?

"Tsunade-baachan?" was all he got around to say before a nasty right hook below his jaw sent him sailing through the air…

Naked.

* * *

**A/N:** Was Fuzz-Ball in character?


	17. ARC 2: Reality of Change

**- CHAPTER 17 - Reality of Change -  
**

.

'_That was just a dream. That was just a bad dream. That was just a very…_'

Even fully dressed again, Naruto still felt his cheeks burning thoroughly from embarrassment. He was in the process of changing Itachi's image in Konoha—but neither teleporting naked between trees nor dodging camera shots from creepy old ladies had been a part of his plan.

And to think Sakura-chan called him a pedophile. This body was only _thirteen_ too!

"Ahem." Sandaime-jiichan cleared his throat loudly, prompting Naruto to stand at attention out of an acquired reflex. "I believe you've met Tsunade, Itachi?"

Naruto could have sworn his face just heated up by another degree. "Hai, Hokage-sama. We've met at the Hospital."

Beside him, he heard a snort. "Are you sure you weren't meeting your _Shirogiku-sensei_?"

Shifting his gaze over to Tsunade-baachan with barely maintained composure, Naruto tried to keep his reply steady and Itachi-like. "Affirmative. Please accept my sincerest apology for failing to recognize your voice, Tsunade-sama."

As if Itachi was supposed to have any idea of what _that_ sounded like at this time…

Unfortunately, she didn't seem willing to drop the issue. "And what happened to Tsunade-_baachan_? Should I wait for another sentence before taking your words seriously?"

Naruto knew her jab was aimed at the Uchiha clan. He knew his tie to that clan was artificially created by Itachi. But it was Sasuke's clan—and now, also a clan he was slowly getting used to protecting. "My apologies for any inappropriate action or comment I've made. You startled me, Tsunade-sama. My Sharingan activated in response."

Insert his own jab: _your genjutsu ain't foolin' no one_.

Sure, he hadn't realized his involuntary activation of the Uchiha kekkei genkai until he got in front of a mirror back at home (speaking of which, he had to sit down one of these days to check out why it kept on happening)—but please, just take this explanation for his stupid slip?

He really didn't want to resort to claiming Tsunade-baachan couldn't age gracefully…

Naruto braced himself as she opened her mouth again, but someone else cut in first, "So those eyes gave you enough time to swap yourself with a backup clone. Then what stopped you from grabbing some clothes before leaving the Hospital?"

Before them, Sandaime-jiichan was making suspicious noises with that smoking pipe—but Naruto kept his silence on what sounded like muffled guffaws. He did _not_ need to know how much of his ordeal might have broadcasted by a certain glass ball. Besides, his paranoid reflexes aside, it was obvious he had already acted too out of character for 'Itachi'.

"Cut the _kid_ some slack, Jiraiya." Tsunade-baachan rolled her eyes. "High EQ doesn't always come with high IQ."

If it were not for ero-sennin stepping out from the office's shadow, Naruto would have exploded. Just who was the one with a low EQ?

"And that doesn't bother you?" Stopping to the right of Sandaime-jiichan's desk, his master looked downright unimpressed. "He obviously felt it was smart of him to withhold info on a criminal organization for more than two years. You said it yourself, Tsunade. How can we even take his words seriously?"

Naruto clenched his jaw. Tsunade-baachan's belittlement seemed like nothing now that he had just heard ero-sennin's. Not for the first time, Naruto wished he could somehow erase Itachi's record of keeping everything to himself.

"At least he's gathered more data that way than you." Was Tsunade-baachan… defending him? "All you know is chasing blindly after Orochimaru. Why had sensei entrusted his spy network to someone as irresponsible as you, I'll never…"

"You're one to talk, abandoning this village and building up a _legendary_ debt…"

"I was on grievance leave! In case that tiny brain of yours can't take big words, it meant I was _fucking_ done with this village that killed everyone close to me! At least I don't get banned from towns for peeping or…"

"…It was research."

"Like anyone's going to believe that. For your perverted books, maybe…"

"A spy network doesn't feed itself, y'know…"

"There are better ways of financing it! Call your trash what it is, pig-headed Jiraiya…"

"Hey, no need to insult my work! When was the last time you brushed up on your illusion anyway, flat-chested Tsunade?"

Wide-eyed, Naruto watched in disbelief as the pair degenerated to unusually childish bickering. Recognizing the scary look in Tsunade-baachan's eyes though, Naruto semi-consciously rubbed his stomach and chin from the phantom pain they received earlier. He would give that woman about another three seconds before she start to punch somebody…

"Enough."

The room stilled.

"First, Itachi has already been reprimanded—that topic is closed, Jiraiya." Ero-sennin looked as if he wanted to protest, but a hard look from Sandaime-jiichan was apparently enough to silence him.

"Second, your unauthorized extension of that grievance leave is nothing to flaunt, Tsunade." Naruto had to marvel at the sight of Tsunade-baachan squirming under a stern look from Sandaime-jiichan. He had never seen anything like it.

"Last but not least, your side activities—while unexpectedly beneficial to the expansion of our spy network—have apparently distracted you from your true task, Jiraiya. It is why I have summoned you, so that Itachi here can provide a secured and detailed briefing on the intelligence he has amassed."

With Sandaime-jiichan nodding indicatively in his direction, Naruto tightened his grip on an unassuming container he had brought.

"Well, let's hear it." Ero-sennin folded his arms in a casual manner, belied by his eyes' wary sweeps—times like this, Naruto wished he could _unlearn_ Itachi's observational skills. "If you really think the _gaki_ is loyal to this village, that is."

Rooted in place, Naruto felt as if someone had just dumped a bucket of icy water over his head. He could understand how ero-sennin might not be able to trust someone he was only meeting for the first time—especially if that person nearly executed his own clan on the Council's order. But going so far as to question Uzumaki Naruto's loyalty to Konoha? To his home?

Was this the kind of suspicion Itachi had to endure from 'former' comrades after being declared a _nukenin_? Was this the kind of pain Itachi had to bear when confronted with Sasuke's hatred?

Naruto hadn't noticed his teeth was drawing blood until he heard a slam from the Hokage's desk.

"That is a serious accusation," Sandaime-jiichan's voice was soft, but not gentle, "and unwarranted. Apologize to Itachi _now_, Jiraiya."

Ero-sennin mumbled something, and Naruto smiled… tightly. Not wanting to create any more tension by his prolonged presence, Naruto quickly got down to business—by smearing a thumb with some blood from his mouth and swiping it over Itachi's safe-box. He had to hand it to the guy: no one would ever expect _Uchiha Itachi_ to hide the most incriminating evidence of his Akatsuki activities in something as simple as a box with _content compression_ seals.

Who would have thought to check if this archaic precursor to storage scrolls was actually more than just a curious piece of antique?

"This," Naruto took out a familiar-looking cloak after unlocking the box, "is the standard uniform of Akatsuki, an organization containing some of our world's most wanted nukenin."

"Red and black. High collar…" Draping the cloak over his shoulders, Naruto commented as his fingers buttoned it with practiced fluidity. "These are marks that _Uchiha_ Madara, as a founder of Akatsuki, has left on the organization despite keeping in its shadow."

"Akatsuki wants world domination." Naruto ignored gasps and growls as his hands tied a scratched Konoha headband in place. It was odd, letting Itachi's body go on auto-pilot in outfitting itself while he reluctantly submerged himself in the other ninja's eerie memories. "Towards that end, its plan is to collect all nine _Bijuu_ within the next eight years and harness their power…"

"There are also only eight primary members," Naruto continued after pulling white leg warmers over his sandals and up his already bandaged calves. Attire complete, he straightened up to demonstrate his 'nukenin' profiles in place of 2D photographs that would have been placed in bingo books. "I am on reserve until a formal… defection."

Armed with Itachi's emotionless face, Naruto finally braved ero-sennin's distrustful eyes. "For two years, Orochimaru's absence at group meetings has placed his membership under suspension. We have not been in contact, and he is likely ignorant of my affiliation with Akatsuki."

"Few and elusive, even I will have trouble tracking down other members of the organization outside scheduled appointments." Looking away from the barely concealed hostility with as much dignity as he could manage, Naruto cleared all but one item from Itachi's box. The nauseating (and really, trivial) nail-polish could wait. What he was about to reveal would be of far greater importance.

It would also be his first step in acting outside Itachi's plan.

Reminded of of his surreal existence again, Naruto spoke quietly as he held Itachi's ring between his fingers, "But until Madara recovers sufficient strength to make a safe appearance at the base, _this_ can serve as a double-edged sword…"

Recalling his own 'future' memories, he traced a black _kanji_ on the ring. It was inlaid with a peculiar—and for their purpose, useful—material. "…because Akatsuki has a _public_ leader."

.

"_There's been a red dawn for two straight days…_"

Naruto shook his head violently. Why was Mikoto's paranoiac comment from breakfast coming up in his thoughts again? So what if there was a _bloody_ red dawn today? There hadn't been so much as a wisp of cloud yesterday, and Naruto highly doubted he would need that cumbersome umbrella she somehow managed to stuff into his weapon pouch after the meal. Having a mother caring for him was nice and all, but Mikoto had really gone overboard this time. Just went to show how much of Itachi's paranoia had really been been a genetic trait.

But… what about ero-sennin's revelation back at the Hokage Tower?

Naruto shook his head again. No, he already had enough of all that destiny hogwash. Until they actually pinpoint him, he was not about to push himself forward. Besides, maybe there was another Uchiha who could fit that new prophesy. It really didn't have to be him.

Better to move onto his first dine-out in a month anyway. It was not everyday when a chakra boost let him make enough clones to keep an eye on Sasuke _and_ the chibi separately for him!

'_Ramen…_' Mouth already watering, Naruto looked longingly in the direction of Ichiraku's stand.

'_…Or dango?_' Glancing reluctantly at another shop down the street, Naruto fingered his wallet. '_That is the question._'

Damn Itachi and his sweet teeth!

Did he also mention how much he detested that guy's habit of keeping _budgeted_ amounts of cash in a wallet? Or that he must have somehow lost his senses when going along with it this morning?

Now he had to make the cruelest decision between ramen and dango!

While Naruto was still desperately banishing all thoughts of those (no doubt, unhealthily sweetened) rice balls, someone came up close behind him. It took all of Naruto's conscious effort _not_ to react. He was in peace-time Konoha. And he was definitely not a criminal wanted for massacring his own clan!

The debriefing this morning probably just undid weeks of his efforts to detach himself from an 'Itachi mentality,' but Naruto supposed it was unavoidable. He hadn't exactly reviewed every last one of the other ninja's memories yet. During the past month, he only managed to go over Itachi's life spent within the Uchiha clan—or at most, whatever training sessions or memorable fights 'he' had now and then. It had been enough for Naruto to survive this far without raising suspicions, and he never really had to push beyond those knowledge until today…

"Perfect timing, _taichou_!" A slap landed solidly on his tense lower back. "We've been waiting for you!"

Naruto relaxed at the 'familiar' voice, but still turned cautiously to look down at Itachi's former… subordinate? "Shin, I am no longer your captain. And even were I not relieved from the position, you should not have addressed me as such in public…"

"…Otherwise we'll blow our cover. I know, I know." The grey-haired boy held up his hands in mock surrender. Naruto found a part of him was relieved to note the _Ne_ member was dressed in dull and nondescript clothes today—for once. "Geez, have more faith in your chicks, Mother Hen! Kama and Kuwa already cleared the area around us. No one can catch my words!"

And sure enough, there was an unnatural pocket of empty space in the throng of people around them. Just for a moment, Naruto was sorely tempted to eliminate Itachi's biggest headache from the whole ANBU corps. "This is unnecessarily obvious. And should other people read your li…"

"Pardon us, senpai." A dark-haired boy jumped down from the roof of a sushi eatery nearby, 'harmless' ropes in hand. His voice was reminiscent of Itachi's own monotone: "Between Washi-_fukutaichou_'s dango sticks and your shuriken, we believe it is more prudent to avoid her sticks."

Emerging from the passer-bys, another brown-haired girl nodded solemnly. "She aims without… restraints, senpai. It would be most gracious of you to cooperate and come to the dango shop with us."

"Very well." Intrigued to find this body's defensive reaction nearly non-existent around these 'children' despite their creepy speech, Naruto allowed them to lead him down towards the shop. He even humored their half-hearted attempt at binding his wrists with ropes—which, of course, they hid from public sight by walking next to him.

"_Washi was appointed following my reassignment?_" Yielding to Itachi's memories, Naruto tried to tap the kids' palms in an awfully complicated code the other shinobi adopted with his squad. What were the chances of Itachi's former squad off from missions _and_ looking for him on Konoha's veritable 'Restaurant Street'? Here was a situation he was totally unprepared for. He could worry about repressing Itachi's influence later.

The girl—whom he now 'recognized' to be Kuwa—returned his taps hesitantly while the boys simply blanked their face to perfection. "_Affirmative. She was required to take the position since…_"

"…_Fukurou is hospitalized._" Naruto finished for her when it became obvious that she did not know how to approach the topic before her former captain. "_Has Washi treated you well?_"

Kuwa shared a look with her comrades before replying. "_She has not changed after her empowerment. However, she has forced us on dango 'treats'__ on a more frequent basis._"

"_Enough to get you sick of the stuff._" Shin's blank face broke into a grimace as they ducked under the dango shop's blue flaps. Ahead of them, Kama had already rushed out of sight. "_But she's not our biggest problem right now. Ours is…_"

"This way, please." Kama's head suddenly ducked out of a wall.

Seeing the number of heads turned their way, Naruto speedily dragged Shin and Kuwa into the tearoom half-hidden behind Kama with him. Even before Naruto could make a comment, the poor _Ne_ member was already besieged by his fellow squad members after the 'door' was shut.

"What were you thinking, airhead?" Shin, you had done worse in the past…

"How very _Ne_-ish of you, Kama." Your grudge with Danzou aside, Yamaneko, that was not very…

"That was unwise, Kama-kun." Kuwa, those ropes should _not_ be used on your comrade that way…

"Try to be more careful next time, Kama." Your kindness would be your downfall someday, Ookami…

"Forget about the idiot, let's welcome Itachi-kun~~!" And no doubt you were up to no good again, Washi…

Pushing back Itachi's sway with some difficulties, Naruto blinked as he examined those off-duty ANBU at the table with his own eyes.

As expected, he couldn't recognize anyone from the _Ne_ side of Itachi's former squad by himself. But Naruto doubted he could have mistaken 'Yamaneko' as anyone other than a younger version of Yamato-taichou. In fact, 'Ookami' had also got to be the same cough-bag that proctored the preliminary rounds of his first Chuunin Exam—even if the guy didn't seem to be in a coughing fit at the moment…

…And could anyone tell him why Mitarashi Anko was on Itachi's squad? Why did she pick _eagle_, of all codenames, when her element was obviously with snakes?

"You don't know how much we've missed you, dearest taichou." Said woman was currently giving him an overly sweet smile as she ran the sharp end of a dango stick barely above his chin. "We are _desperate_ to have your tight virgin ass back."

Trying not to gulp before the crazy snake lady, Naruto responded with minimal jaw movement. It was surprisingly easy—no thanks to one month of trying to thaw Itachi's frozen nerves. "Language, Anko. And surely Inu-san is…"

Snake-Lady did a 180 with her expression as she leaned down next to his ears, hissing darkly, "_Listen_, Itachi. We've had enough of Kakashi's wimpy laziness! With you, we were completing at least one A-rank mission every week. Now? We had to wait a whole week for Mr. Cum-Head to move his lazy dick out of prissy self-service and request a _baby_ mission for us. We had to drag out a borderline A-rank guard mission over three _fucking _weeks. It was sloth. It was slight. It was _hell_! "

Sensing harder and harder pressures on his skin, Naruto took small comfort in being able to hold up Itachi's usual composure. Trust Snake-Lady to keep her sadism at bay when she wanted something from _Itachi_. "That is unfortunate. However, this is an issue you should discuss with Hokage-sama…" Safer for Sandaime-jiichan to explain his unofficial probation of this squad…

"We already did!" Shin shouted as he stood up from his seat, drawing everyone's attention to him. Unfazed, the unusually cheerful _Ne_ ANBU merely shrugged. "But he said we have to wait until your med-nin clears you. Who is that now, anyway? Just give us the name and we'll take care of her!"

Were this body's eyebrows actually twitching? "Unadvisable. You are not ready to take on someone on Tsunade-sama's caliber…"

Naruto found his throat was suddenly freed from the threat of a dango stick—for Snake-Lady had just bounced off to hold a separate meeting on the side. He didn't even have to eavesdrop to know she was trying to get the squad to take on Tsunade-baachan _together_. No doubt challenging one of the Sannin was even more of an irresistible idea for her. Damn it, Itachi, how did you keep these subordinates of yours under control?

"…and I was not referring to her physical strength. She has political ties." His words fell on deaf ears except for the three ANBU that still sat attentively at the table—namely, Yamaneko, Ookami, and a vaguely familiar woman with purple hair.

As if to answer his unspoken question, Ookami introduced shyly, "This is Yuugao…"

"A newbie and Hayate's girlfriend," Yama… Yamaneko helpfully supplied with a teasing wink. "I suspect foul play behind her assignment, but as you know—Hayate's always too careful to leave a clue."

Naruto was unable to see this fresh-faced teenager as Yamato-taichou. It was too mind-boggling to discover his former team leader used to be Itachi's subordinate. Why did Yamato-taichou never mention it? Was it the shame of being associated with a traitor?

His silence might have given them the wrong impression, for the woman they called 'Yuugao' elbowed… Yamaneko. "Watch the mood! Fukurou-senpai's still…"

_That_ startled Naruto out of his internal turmoil. Oh _fuck_ no. No matter what Itachi managed to make his squad believe, _he_ was not a couple with Fukurou! Time to change the topic. "Sorry, I was lost in thought. So why is Anko…?"

He never got to interrogate Yamaneko and Ookami about the details of Kakashi-sensei's supposed negligence. For backed with the _Ne_ trio, Snake-Lady approached him again with a big paper envelope held in open view.

While Kuwa and Kama remained stoic, Shin already started to cackle behind Snake-Lady in a most disturbing manner. Naruto felt a shiver down his spine when he noticed that the three 'normal' ANBU at the table also looked very… amused.

"Now, listen here boyo." Snake-Lady's smirk was smug as she took a small photo out of her envelope. Naruto was no longer able to suppress an audible gulp when he caught a small peek with Itachi's sharp eyes. Where did she get a hold of _that_? "Either you follow our plan, or we'll go public with these _sensational_ pictures. It was a pain in the ass to hunt all of them down for you, so they've got to be quite the hit if we put them up for sale, hmm?"

"This is blackmail," Naruto dimly heard himself whispering.

"Too bad. We need more missions." Snake-Lady grinned as she pointed to each of her squad members.

"Shin needs to buy a 240-color deluxe package of crayons for his brother's birthday." Equally bright grin.

"Kama plans to order a custom-made armor by next month." Serious nod.

"Kuwa wants to buy a professional hairdresser's toolkit for future undercover missions." Small smile.

"Tenzou is looking into buying an apartment suite away from the _Ne_ barracks." Nervous cough.

"Hayate and Yuugao are trying to book a trip to Muyuujou Resort on our next out-of-village leave." Pleading glances.

"And _I_ need to pay this month's bill of our dango outings. Being a leader can be so hard—I'm sure you understand, Itachi?" And a mock pout to top it off.

Could he say 'no'? Naruto wished he could just burn the damn envelope right there and then. Certainly, he already felt comfortable enough with executing several Katon jutsu on his own by this point in time.

…But who knew if those ingrates hadn't kept the negatives? He certainly wouldn't put it past Snake-Lady.

And he was really tired of those diplomatic missions given by Sandaime-jiichan too. Perhaps, he could turn this into a win-win situation?

Just as he was about to ignore objections from Itachi's lingering pride, a lanky boy burst into their room. Naruto quirked an eyebrow when he recognized 'his' cousin; of course, it just _had_ to be an Uchiha genin who could break through the various illusionary diversions these ANBU had set up at the entrance.

"Sorry for the intrusion." Koma gave an apologetic look to the others, but broke down into hysterics when he turned to Naruto. "Itachi-sama, you've got to find them! You've got to! No one knows where they…"

"Find who?" Naruto tried to stay calm, although he was starting to catch on a very bad feeling.

"Fukurou and Tansui, of course!" Koma blurted out angrily before pausing, probably realizing he sounded a little too rude. "Um, and the elders too. No one knew where they went!"

"Has the clan checked the Hospital?" Nod. "District?" Nod. "Village?" A bit of hesitation this time, but a nod slowly followed.

"Itachi, do you need us to…?" Snake-Lady stepped up before him, features plain with concern. It was actually a little creepy to see such a 'normal' expression on her face.

But if Fugaku had already alerted the village, no doubt the other available squads had already been dispatched on the job. So looking at the worried faces of Itachi's former subordinates, Naruto shook his head slightly. "No. However, you should report to Hokage-sama. You might be needed elsewhere."

The ANBU present bowed without another word, before disappearing in swirls of leaves.

Picking up the envelope that had been (intentionally?) left on the table, Naruto beckoned for Koma to follow him in exiting the now empty room. It was likely Fugaku had also ordered the boy to fetch him, but Koma obviously couldn't properly make that request before _outsiders_. His heir status probably wasn't meant to be known until that ceremony or whatever had been performed.

Naruto nearly stopped in his tracks when he saw the sky outside the shop.

As he watched the clouds gathering in inky blots, Naruto could not help but be reminded of what ero-sennin mentioned back at the Tower…

"_This is a serious matter too, sensei! How can you let this brat stay and…_

"_Okay, fine, I'll report here. But you better hope words of this never get out from your end, Uchiha. I'll be watching you…_

"_Yeah, so that was the prophecy given to me by the Great Toad Sage decades ago. But a month ago, I was called back to Myoubokusan again. It__'__s why I was late in responding to your summon, sensei. Sorry about that again. Anyway, apparently someone played with fate, and now 'A new path is given'…_

"_So my decision is still important, and it's still unclear if one or two of my apprentices will bring about this revolution. But now one of my prophesied apprentices will apparently bear 'Eyes of Pain' while the other will bear 'Eyes of Guilt'… And don't ask me what it's supposed to mean, but somehow 'Pain will fuel the fire of Guilt'…_

"_You think the one with 'Eyes of Guilt' will be more important too, sensei? Mmhm… Mmhm… Right, that's precisely why I thought so too. I don't think the 'Eyes' were referring to bloodlines either. I sure as hell am not gonna take an apprentice that has one…_

"_What? You sure, brat? But I thought he was already dead…_

"_Okay, fine, I guess that narrows it down. Nagato's probably the one with 'Eyes of Pain'—but that 'pain' isn't really from his bloodline! So my original statement still stands…_"

Problem was, while ero-sennin knew nothing about the horror behind Mangekyou Sharingan, Naruto did. It was blindingly obvious that _he_ had 'Eyes of Guilt.' So he could still be that damned Destined Child—even if to the world, he was no longer 'Uzumaki Naruto.'

And that… seemed to be his reality before this building storm.

* * *

**A/N:** 'Yamaneko' = Lynx. 'Ookami' = Wolf. Kama & Kuwa are fictitious names for the _Ne_ ANBU who grew up alongside Sai & Shin in the anime.

And Naruto/Itachi does have a consistent way of referring to his ANBU peers: codename in his thoughts/codes as Itachi did for safety, & real name in conversations if they were out of uniform. With one 'name' to go by, _Ne_ members were obvious exceptions.

I'll leave it up to your interpretation whether Naruto's reality has truly changed.


	18. ARC 2: Lost in the Rain

**- CHAPTER 18 - Lost in the Rain -  
**

.

Exhale…

Lightning flashed.

Inhale…

Thunder rumbled.

Exhaling again, Naruto leapt down from one of Konoha Hospital's gate posts.

"This is reckless," he muttered.

…Which Naruto supposed he might be, if his own mind was screaming the same thing as that annoying little voice he had came to dub as his 'inner-Itachi' (and no, he was _not_ going crazy). But when it came down to searching for the missing Uchiha, he only had himself now. He couldn't just accept the disappearances like the others. He couldn't just sit through those _meetings_ like the others. If nothing else, he owed it to Shisui and Fukurou.

However, Naruto also knew he had to keep his actions transparent. Leaving recycled clones at those meetings was one thing, but sneaking about the village under an already suspicious ero-sennin's watch was another…

So as raindrops finally began to fall from the inky sky, he ducked into the hospital's main foyer.

"Itachi-san?" Veins bulging around her pale eyes, the receptionist was clearly startled. "How… How may I help you?"

Pushing aside the last of his misgivings, Naruto tried to placate her with a polite smile. "Could I see Shirogiku-sensei if she is available, Hyuuga-san?"

"Yes, of course." The girl seemed to have recovered, and was now giving him shyer glances. "Please give me a minute to check for her availability."

Naruto could not help but notice that she was blushing—very badly. Oh crap, she had better not be another witness of the Incident!

Thankfully, he was soon distracted from the agonizing wait by a dispelled clone. Heh… An hour and all they figured out at the Hokage Tower was Danzou and the Council couldn't have been responsible? He already guessed as much from the beginning! Those _stupid_ chauvinists would have to be _stupid_ to try something like this after the stunt they tried to pull only a month ago. The reports discussed at Sandaime-jiichan's meeting just confirmed it.

But who the hell kidnapped Tansui and the others then?

"Yakushi-sensei is ready to see you, Itachi-san," the receptionist's timid voice pulled him out of his thoughts. The redness in her face was really starting to disturb Naruto. The last time he had seen anyone who could blush so heavily had also been a…

Okay, now was not the time to go down memory lane. "Thank you, Hyuuga-san."

With that, Naruto fled the foyer as fast as he could.

It didn't take him long to reach the Head Medical Officer's office. In fact, Shirogiku-sensei was already waiting for him with an open door. "I've been wondering when you would drop by."

Taken aback, Naruto fumbled for the first thing that came to mind. "Sorry about missing the appointment this morning. I probably got the wrong room."

Shirogiku-sensei gave him a weird look. Was there something wrong with what he said? "You didn't. Tsunade-sama took an interest in your case and I had to yield to her seniority."

While that bit of information was interesting, it wasn't what Naruto wanted. "I see…"

Before he could think of a none-too-awkward way of bringing up the disappearances, Shirogiku-sensei was speaking again, "I'm really sorry about Fukurou. I don't know what those scoundrels could have possibly wanted to do with her. And Tansui! The poor child…"

_Child_? Um, last time he checked, Itachi was the same age as Tansui…

Now that they were back on topic though, Naruto wasn't about to let her stray off again. "I am not here to place blames. Have the abductors truly left no trace?"

"Not even a foreign scent." Shirogiku-sensei sighed as she motioned for him to sit down on a chair in front of her desk. "We only found Fukurou's, Tansui's, and yours. If you were anyone else, I would have thought you intentionally stirred up that ruckus this morning just as a diversion for the abductors."

Well, he definitely didn't. And Fukurou was still comatose when he saw her earlier, so that would leave the only person who could've came in contact with the abductors as… "Did Tansui visit Fukurou today?"

With a sad expression, the med-nin nodded. "He visits her as often as you do, if not more."

So he had heard. Well, those kidnappers seemed to be quite good at covering up their tracks. Naruto _really_ hoped he didn't have to narrow it down to Madara though. The old fossil shouldn't be able to recover within a month; the implication would be… troublesome, to borrow a line from Shikamaru. Besides, Madara had no reason to abduct any Uchiha. If it had been up to him, the man would have probably left behind corpses as some sort of twisted message.

…Or did Madara still want to coerce 'Itachi' into joining him?

Meh, not after his pride took that much of a beating! Chasing away the ridiculous thought, Naruto broke the thick silence in their room with another prod, "And there was nothing suspicious from your personnel's memories?"

Shirogiku-sensei shook her head. "Tansui apparently never came out of Fukurou's ward after he entered. When we checked on them, both had disappeared… No obvious signs of a struggle either. Have Hokage-sama and Fugaku-san not told you all this?"

They did, but… "I merely wish to confirm."

"I understand your anxiety, Itachi, but don't take this all on yourself." The woman gave him a sympathetic look. "Everyone is trying to find the culprit… You're not alone."

"I just want to know where _my people_ are." Naruto cut himself short before his frustration could completely leak through his voice. Okay, stay calm. Count to ten…

…But was he really being childish by personally going over every last piece of evidence they have at this time? Should he have waited for conclusions to be drawn at those meetings instead? He didn't want to go down that line of thinking, but… was that what Itachi would've done? In fact, would Itachi blame him for failing to keep his clan members safe? For failing to watch over the last of Shisui's family?

Naruto certainly felt guilty enough that he had to suppress the heat behind his eyes again.

Shirogiku-sensei was the first to finally break the tense silence between them, "It might be unkind of me to say this," here she hesitated for a moment while glancing at her office window, "but there's really nothing you can do in this rain."

Naruto supposed it was true: raindrops were now hitting the window with noisy intensity. It'd be difficult even for the best trackers to hunt down those abductors when more and more of their tracks were being washed away by the second. In fact, the steady percussion was bringing back some very bad memories. Memories of losing Sandaime-jiichan… of losing Sasuke… of losing…

Stopping himself before he could fall into another bout of emo angst, Naruto stood up. "No, you have simply raised a valid concern." That didn't mean he'd be deterred so easily. He'd just get to the bottom of this on his own! "Forgive me for taking up your time, Shirogiku-sensei."

"There's nothing to forgive." The woman smiled faintly. "It's perfectly natural to be worried for one's fiancée"

Naruto stared at the med-nin. Not her too! "She's not, Shirogiku-sensei. While Fukurou may be my former subordinate and Tansui's adoptive sister, my current concern is with the missing elders from my clan. As their disappearances may be linked, any evidence that leads me to her may also lead me to the elders."

Plus, things would get really messy if word get out about the clan's cursed bloodline…

The Head Medical Officer's smile only deepened. "Be that as it may, did your clan actually ask you to come here on your own?"

"…" Well, Clone #2 hadn't dispelled—which meant that stupid clan meeting was still in session.

"You are clearly stressing yourself again." Shirogiku-sensei tsked as she gathered the scrolls on her desk into a pile. "Why don't you stay around a bit? Kabuto is coming back soon and he makes excellent chamomile tea. It should help with calming your nerves."

"No, that won't be ne…" Naruto was about to make his exit when he picked up on the name she just dropped.

Kabuto.

Yakushi Kabuto. Yakushi… Shirogiku. Damn, how could he have missed it! Here could be the missing link. Here could the overlooked lead he'd been looking for!

"You are waiting for Kabuto-san?" Naruto was surprised that his question came out steady.

"Yes. After all, it's his turn to make supper tonight," Shirogiku-sensei replied casually as she looked at her clock on the wall. "Although he seems to be running a little late… He told me an hour ago that he had to run some last-minute errands for a friend, but I wonder what's taking him so long."

Naruto had some nasty suspicions of who that _friend_ could be. Although, come to think of it, Kabuto was also supposed to have started out as Sasori's sleeper agent…

With so much at stake though, he had to be sure: "Did he carry out any duty near Fukurou's ward today?"

"What are you…?" Shirogiku-sensei's face instantly snapped back towards him. "No! You can't just accuse him like that! I know he's not a native of this village, but you're not being fair…"

"An answer, please." Naruto hated to use Itachi's darker tone like this, but he had to know!

"He…" Cheeks still flushed from anger, the Head Medical Officer took a shuddering breath before conceding, "Alright, he was the first one to alert me of her missing status. Happy?"

Naruto closed his eyes briefly. This was looking more and more like a plot from… "No, I am not happy to accuse a fellow Konoha ninja. He is, however, innocent until proven guilty. If you will excuse me now, I will need to find him to ask some questions."

"Itachi," the pleading note in her voice stopped him on his way out. "Let Hokage-sama be the final judge, please?"

"Of course," Naruto replied. However, his strides were long and urgent once he shut the door behind him.

.

When he found those broken barrier seals, Naruto knew he had the right place. In a way, the abductors' choice even made sense. Well-known but hushed-up, most ninja in this village were used to keeping this location out of their minds. No one wanted to recall such a dark stain on Konoha's history. No one wanted to admit such a heinous project had been pursued right under their noses. In fact, most people probably couldn't even fathom one of their own would ever coming close to this abandoned site.

However, to leave clues this obvious…

"I knew I forgot something. The door, the _door_…"

As he watched a familiar face appear around the corner, Naruto almost lost it. That deceitful bastard looked like a ghost walking straight out of his first Chuunin Exam! Naruto's legs itched to break into a run… His fingers itched to shape into a cross seal…

NO!! He would exceed his daily quota! Squashing his impulse to simply beat Oro-V2 into the ground with clones, Naruto tightened his hands painfully into fists as he continued to wade through the shallow waters. Urgh, he kept on forgetting his chakra capacity was no longer as large as it used to be! Chakra boost or not, he really shouldn't have squandered his limited supply so carelessly during the day. His success in shutting up Fuzz-Ball last night must have gone to his head.

Besides, this might not be the same crazy Oro-V2 he knew from the 'future'! Heck, this guy might even be _innocent_. "Was it you who broke the seals on Orochimaru's former laboratory, Kabuto-san?"

"Itachi-kun?" Lifting up a greenish candle in one hand, the silver-haired teenager seemed genuinely surprised. "Well, so I did. Orochimaru may be a traitor, but his work documents some of the most groundbreaking discoveries in ninja physiology—most fascinating, even for a novice like me."

Naruto blinked. Did Kabuto seriously think he was going to get out of this situation with _that_ excuse? "This place was sealed off for a reason. Orochimaru's _work_ involved experimenting on his fellow comrades."

"But to let such a goldmine of medical knowledge go to waste!" Kabuto exclaimed as he waved his candle passionately. "Think of all the advances we could have made with those detailed data on the human body!"

Naruto had to admit: his patience was running thin. "Unless my memory has failed me, those _data_ have been destroyed for more than a decade." Noticing a strange odor in the air, Naruto finally deduced, "You are stalling."

Copycat. That was _his _idea!

"I have to say I'm disappointed, Itachi-kun." Kabuto shook his head as he snuffed out what Naruto realized was a poison-imbued candle. "It took you that long to notice the paralyzant?"

If that wasn't a sign of hostility, Naruto didn't know what was.

So rasping with difficulty, Naruto asked, "I take this means… you are an accomplice of the abductors?"

Even with only a flickering light to illuminate their surroundings from the ceiling, Naruto still caught the smirk-like curl of Kabuto's lips. "You wound me, Itachi-kun. I may be curious, but I bear no ill intent towards your clan."

"Curious…" Naruto repeated in a low whisper while he took a cursory scan of the dark space behind Kabuto. Was that a shift in the shadow? Good timing, Bro. "…On your master's behalf? Latent, inactive, active, and destroyed… Orochimaru is certainly… thorough with the specimens he takes this time. How long… have you been spying on my clan, Kabuto?"

"Me? A spy for Orochimaru?" Kabuto's eyes widened as if in shock. "What gives you that idea?"

The genin's incredulous tone almost made Naruto doubting his own hypothesis. Almost. Carefully making a small dip with his head, Naruto struggled to maintain a broken voice. "Am I… to understand… you've restrained me only to… hold a conversation?"

Kabuto actually nodded, with quite a serious face too. "How else can I make sure you'll hear me out?"

Naruto observed that the other teenager still kept him at an arm's length though. Too bad he had no intention of engaging Kabuto in combat—yet. "For?"

Oddly, that question gave Kabuto pause. "I wonder… Just how well do you know Tansui-kun?"

It was Naruto's turn to be taken aback. However, someone else quickly picked up his side of the query. "That is an irrelevant question, Yakushi Kabuto."

The silver-haired teenager froze as the tip of a ninjatou tapped his back. Stiff as a reed stalk, Kabuto chuckled nervously. "Sorry, curiosity kills the cat. But I see you do live up to your reputation, Itachi-kun. You weren't careless; you were only lowering my guards for your reinforcement."

Reinforcement his ass… Naruto was not going to call his own bluff though. Looking at the crow-masked ANBU who had appeared above the water behind Kabuto, he got a small head-shake. Darn, they hadn't kept Tansui and the others here?

Carrying on as if their silent exchange never took place, the ANBU continued rather tonelessly, "Do not change the topic, Yakushi. You are implicated in a Level 3 Security Breach. Explain yourself."

"I was only helping a friend in need." Still facing Naruto, Kabuto gave an innocent smile. "Poor Tansui was so desperate to restore his sister to full health, you see. So desperate he was willing to ask for…"

Without warning, Kabuto leaned forward with his upper body. Bending his knees, the silver-haired teenager rolled away to the left as his right feet kicked back water in the ANBU's direction. Shuffling safely out of his opponent's reach under the distraction, his hands came together to make a series of hand-seals. "…Outside help!"

Suppressing a frown, Naruto shifted his eyes back to the ANBU's splattered mask. What was 'he' thinking, letting his prey go free like that?

Oblivious to his questioning glance, the ANBU only sheathed his blade—freeing both hands. Even with a chakra coat visibly flaring up around Kabuto's palms, the crow-masked ANBU still commented calmly, "Chakra scalpel… an unusual choice for an offensive technique."

Recognizing the jutsu as well, Naruto was reminded of his first hostile encounter with Kabuto all those years… ago. Or into the future. Or… Um, anyway, Naruto believed he got 'his' reasons now.

'_Observe, then strike._'

He wasn't sure who had given him that advice. Was it Kakashi-sensei or Itachi's former team leader? But yes, much as it grated against his own habit, Naruto supposed he could see the benefit in waiting for Kabuto to let slip his weaknesses first…

He was not going to admit that might simply be a decision encouraged by his ridiculously low stamina.

Annoying smile in place, Kabuto wasn't giving 'him' any opening though. "Not for a med-nin. But why focus your attention on me? I don't know anything about…"

The genin suddenly made a right jab for his opponent's upper left leg, but was smoothly avoided. In fact, grabbing Kabuto's chakra-free forearm, the ANBU simply kneed the teenager's abdomen with the same leg. The scene would have been vaguely déjà-vu for Naruto—had Kabuto actually sunk down in a boneless pile.

Too bad the genin only puffed into the wet candle he had dropped earlier.

In the span of a blink, one Kabuto was leaping off the wall while another was creeping up behind the crow-masked ANBU. Naruto almost called out in warning, but the ANBU must have caught the rustle and came to the same conclusion as him. For not only did the ninja ignore the punch aimed at his chest, but he also turned and hooked out a kunai in one hand—just in time to block a stab from the second Kabuto's surgical knife. The ANBU's weapon-free hand had also found the vulnerable wrist of the genin's other arm—and snapped it with an audible crack.

Ouch, that had to hurt. It confirmed Naruto's earlier suspicion though.

Wasting no time, the crow-masked ANBU swung his opponent's broken wrist upward to knock away the pained genin's own weapon arm. Finally unchallenged, the ANBU's kunai easily slithered against this Kabuto's throat.

Meanwhile, the first Kabuto had landed his punch—only to dissipate when he actually made contact with the ANBU's back. It was, as Naruto suspected, only a normal clone. An intangible illusion whose movement created no ripple above the water.

Well, that gave Naruto a rough gauge of the skills Kabuto was willing to show for now. Solid in basic ninjutsu and taijutsu. Decent control to have at least maintained one chakra scalpel throughout a combat situation. Good speed…

…But not good enough.

Naruto thought the real Kabuto's smile might have thinned just a little. "You're too fast for a normal ANBU."

"The same can be said of you, genin," the crow-masked ANBU countered—still in a calm monotone. "Please tell me where you have taken the Uchiha. I do not wish to injure you any more than necessary."

Kabuto's glasses glinted despite the dim lighting. "As I was going to say, ANBU-san, I don't know where Tansui-kun took them. Let me leave peacefully, and you can still keep a watch on me if you insist."

"According to you, Uchiha Tansui is behind the kidnapping of his own clan members?" Naruto watched silently as the ANBU shifted the angle of his kunai—so that its edge actually came in direct contact with Kabuto's skin. "That is not a very believable claim."

"What can I say? He wants to cure _his sister_." Kabuto sounded almost exasperated. "Tansui-kun had gone through my entire stash of medical texts before he broke into this place—and found a possible solution from some overlooked notes…"

Naruto did not bother hiding his frown this time. To lie so blatantly even when he was held at the end of a blade; what made Kabuto so confident?

Time to give the guy a joggle.

Foregoing all pretenses, Naruto finally spoke—smooth and without a hitch, "Tansui would not have known how to break those barrier seals."

Naruto noticed a subtle twitch from one of Kabuto's fingers—one that was on his _twisted_ hand. Ah, so that strange self-healing technique Kabuto had used after getting hit with Rasengan had been what the genin was counting on? Hmm, could that trick also heal up a cut jugular though?

At least, Kabuto hardly sounded like a cornered animal with his thoughtful tone, "Oh my, an immunity to paralyzants, too? It seems I've underestimated you again, Itachi-kun."

"No, you only overestimated yourself." Naruto wouldn't call his chakra's half-assed attempt at staving off poisons an _immunity_, but Kabuto didn't need to know that. With a hand hovering over his weapon pouch behind his waist, Naruto walked up behind the genin. "Now, please tell us where you've taken my clan members."

"I didn't…" Kabuto was forced to pause when the ANBU pressed his kunai _a little_ harder, drawing out a thin line of blood. "I'm telling the truth! I don't know Tansui-kun's destination! He found a way to heal Fukurou-san, but he had neither the expertise nor the equipment for carrying it out!"

The pure desperation in Kabuto's voice made Naruto wonder if the genin was actually telling the truth. It _did_ make sense, in a way. Naruto could definitely picture Tansui wanting to look for a solution to his sister's condition… just not as far as exploring Orochimaru's forbidden options!

The possibility made Naruto feel more than a little guilty though. Sure, he visited Fukurou quite often—but if he was honest enough with himself, he had to concede the routine had become more obligatory than heartfelt. Knowing neither Itachi nor him was the medic-type, he'd been content to just leave her case up to the 'experts'.

Was that what bothered Tansui for the past month then? Not that 'Itachi' caused the injury, but that he never tried to remedy it himself?

But… even if Kabuto was telling the truth, what kind of sick procedure could Tansui have possibly dug up for restoring Fukurou's full reserve of spiritual energy? Tansui couldn't be thinking about using _that_ kinjutsu as a basis, could he?

'_Maybe that's why he took the elders? Not just one of them, but both as test subjects…_'

No! Kabuto had to be feeding him bullshit somewhere! Tansui would never go that far. The timid boy that Itachi had known… The respectful teenager that Naruto had seen… He… He wouldn't!

'_What about Sasuke? You never thought he'd go to Orochimaru either…_'

Treacherous thoughts chaffed at Naruto's faltering conviction, but he forcibly shoved them aside. Okay, he still wasn't 100% sure what game Kabuto was trying to play at here—but Tansui was _not_ Sasuke. Tansui didn't have a damn seal screwing up his mind!

Even as he straightened out his doubts though, Naruto spotted the slow movements Kabuto had been trying to make with a 'limp' hand. Narrowing his eyes, Naruto suppressed his growing aggravation and only flipped out a shuriken to make a warning cut on the genin's forearm. "You have not mentioned _your_ role in all this, Kabuto."

Despite being caught red-handed, Kabuto didn't even sound sheepish, "What can a _novice_ med-nin like me do? All I did was helping a friend. My _mother_ isn't as perfect as everyone thinks she is, after all. You can't really blame her; Orochimaru-sama's work _is_ brilliant. It would have been an insult for someone of our profession to simply destroy all of those valuable data. I simply gave Tansui-kun access to them when he wanted to…"

That was it. Naruto had enough of Kabuto's roundabout talk! Claiming to be a friend of Tansui, and then accusing the boy of acts like that…

Frustrated and angry at himself for bothering to listen to this double-crossing bastard—for almost _believing_ in his lies—Naruto grappled Kabuto's throat from the other side. Twisting the genin's face towards him, Naruto whispered with deceptive calm, "You call him _Orochimaru-sama_, and expect me to believe you have no connection to that asinine worm? What could you have possibly seen in him, Sasori's treacherous spy?"

With sweat beads running down from his temple, Kabuto still blinked innocuously. "Sa… Sasori who?"

Alright, Kabuto asked for it!

Before the crow-masked ANBU could stop him, Naruto let loose his guilt-fueled fury as he growled, "Tsukuyomi!"

.

When Sandaime-jiichan arrived a few minutes later, Naruto was sitting on the floor—and staring blankly at a collapsed Kabuto.

"_For all the powers you wield… you are still such a naïve pawn, Itachi-kun._"

Panting with shallow breaths, Naruto slumped against the wall in a spineless mass as Kabuto's words haunted him. He didn't even pay attention to who had arrived with the Hokage, or what the crow-masked ANBU was actually reporting to the contingent. He… He was still too shocked by the cruelties his own mind was apparently capable of.

Why had he used Tsukuyomi?

Yes, it got him the intel he wanted. Yes, it was an efficient interrogation method given his resilient opponent. But did he really need to torture Kabuto in that monochrome world like some heartless sadist? Did he actually have to taunt the genin like some deranged madman? This was _not_ the manipulative bastard who had stomped on his dream. This was _not_ the tenacious henchman who had assisted Orochimaru in their fights time after time. And this was definitely _not_ the twisted Oro-V2 who had given his village more trouble than assistance during the war against Akatsuki. This… This wasn't that person yet.

On the other hand, what kind of monster was _he_ turning into? He had no Fuzz-Ball to be his scapegoat now!

'_It's the power…_' A toneless voice seemed to whisper next to his ears. '_It's that sense of control you get when you have your enemy under your complete sway—such is the danger of all high-level genjutsu: not the mental focus that is required, but the mental madness that could come with it. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely… Tread carefully with Tsukuyomi, lest it leeches empathy and breeds bravado in you…_'

Itachi?

The voice fell silent.

Great. So other than adjusting to a foreign body, he also had to worry about going psycho?

"Oi, quit day-dreaming."

Tsunade-baachan's light slap on his face jolted Naruto back to the real world. With a start, Naruto suddenly became aware of the cold sweat that had soaked through his shirt on the back. He also became conscious of the faces that were now looking down on him with expressions both familiar and alien—from Sandaime-jiichan's concern, to Tsunade-baachan's consideration, to ero-sennin's caution…

And Naruto remembered he still had a task to fulfill.

Refocused, Naruto made a nod towards the genin still lying unconscious in the water as he spoke in a subdued voice, "Other than what Karasu has reported, Yakushi Kabuto is also confirmed to have assisted Uchiha Tansui in abducting Uchiha Fukurou, Uchiha Matsuku, and Uchiha Fuuiro at 1530. Tansui has since then left for one of Orochimaru's undisclosed bases via…"

His head gave him a woozy complaint, and Naruto barely managed to raise himself out of the dizzy spell so he could continue speaking, "…Level 2 Emergency Village Evacuation Routes 52 and 310. Under Kabuto's manipulation, he has been led to believe that…"

A firm hand grasped him by his right shoulder. "Give us the details later. You are in no condition to make a proper report."

"But…" Naruto wanted to protest against Sandaime-jiichan's mildly rebuking order, but his headache was starting to get worse and worse by the minute. Alright, executing Tsukuyomi with an almost depleted reserve had definitely not been one of his brightest ideas. Still, he needed to unload all the new info he'd just managed to wring out of Kabuto…

"You do not have the exact location of the missing individuals, correct?" Sandaime-jiichan's question was spoken in his usually kind tone, but it still stung Naruto.

"Yes…" Was he doomed to keep on losing his people? "I do not."

But Naruto refused to accept that. He _had_ some clues on where Orochimaru hid his bases. After all, while his 'future' memories might be subject to the same changes that he had already wrought on this timeline, they should still serve as good starting points. Just give him a few more minutes to get some of his strength back, and he could still go after Tansui—this stupid rain be damned!

As Naruto struggled to stand though, Tsunade-baachan cut in, "Sarutobi-sensei, let me handle the _child_."

Frowning at her dismissive address of him, Naruto froze when he felt his body being lifted up and thrown over ero-sennin's shoulder.

It would have been… nice, if he didn't see his master's grimace and Tsunade-baachan's smirk. Still, he was too drained to resist anyway. Sending an accusative glare towards the ANBU for his inaction, Naruto only got back an equally heated glare.

"Pump me up with more juice next time, Boss," the ANBU muttered as he handed Naruto his mask, obviously too tired to watch his word choice as well. "Trying to stick with only taijutsu was some serious brain-masher, you know."

It was perhaps just as well his unmasked shadow clone chose to dispel itself right at that moment—because without fading out of consciousness from the incoming fatigue, he really had no excuse for evading those funny looks he was now getting.

However, even as he was taken outside in the roaring rain, Naruto's delirious mind was plagued by the image of his clone having just addressed him with _Itachi's_ face.

It almost felt as if he had lost something important.

* * *

**A/N:** Something felt off about this chapter, but I couldn't place it. Maybe it was Naruto/Itachi's premeditated reasoning (& questionable sanity), Kabuto's shifty characterization, or their obscure 'fight'… It'd be nice to have some feedback on what the actual problem might be.


	19. ARC 2: Capacity I

**- CHAPTER 19 - Capacity (I) -  
**

.

Something screeched.

Wincing at the nerve-wracking noise, Naruto tried to cover his ears—only to find his arms _wouldn't_ budge.

Alarmed, he opened his eyes and was greeted with Tsunade-baachan's amused face.

"And here I thought you're a heavy sleeper." Taking a thermometer off his forehead, she stood back and checked it in front of a divider curtain—most likely the culprit of that horrid sound just a moment ago. "You've had a noisy bunch of visitors."

Oh! Did Kiba make a full recovery then? Or had Lee finally…

'_No. Stop deluding yourself._' Naruto closed his eyes briefly. '_Face the damn reality!_'

Yes. There was no point dwelling on what he had lost.

He had to look forward.

Looking up at the deceptively ageless face again, Naruto sorted his thoughts and stated—rather than asked, "You've met Anko and her… friends, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade-baachan frowned as she put aside the thermometer, but didn't deny his statement. "Feisty subordinates you had there." Not giving him a chance to dispute her choice of words, she continued, "Yes, I'm _quite_ sure they used to be your old squad. Threatening me to hand over their 'taichou' was rather telling."

Darn it. Snake-Lady actually went through with that harebrained plan of hers?

"Sorry." Naruto quickly scanned the ward. Well, there seemed to be no property damage (unless that curtain was hiding something behind it…) Things couldn't have gotten too far out of hand. "They don't know what they were doing."

…Like making a bad first impression with the future Godaime.

"I doubt it," Tsunade-baachan smirked while scribbling something on a clipboard, "but enough about them. Physical examination aside, I don't think we ever got down to…"

"Wait!" Naruto blurted out in a hurry. Hang on a minute, he had to know how the searches for those Uchiha were going! And he still had to report the data he got off Kabuto!

Then he heard his own shout.

Belatedly, Naruto realized he might have just blown his cover as 'Itachi.'

But strangely, Tsunade-baachan didn't seem at all bothered by his interruption. In fact, one could almost say she looked… vindicated? "Yes? What do you want to say?"

Less sure of himself, Naruto asked carefully, "Have the missing individuals been located? I was unable to report most of the intelligence collected from Kabuto before my collapse, should I…"

As Tsunade-baachan's lips curled up further and further, Naruto found his voice dropping lower and lower.

In the end, he could only stare as she suddenly dropped the smirk and heaved a sigh. "No, we've apparently lost their trail at the end of Evacuation Route 310. Jiraiya has been trying to use his contacts to track down Orochimaru's recent bases, but there's been no firm lead yet."

"Kabuto's list might be more comprehensive," Naruto suggested. "I can…"

"…wait until Jiraiya drops by," Tsunade-baachan interjected. "Sarutobi-sensei has put him in charge of the whole retrieval mission. The pervert is checking the You-Know-What on that kid under your care, but he'll be back for a briefing from you."

Looking down at the blanket covering his body, Naruto let out a slow breath. "I see…"

Okay, this should work out then. He needed to mention those plugs he added on top of the chibi's Shiki Fuuin anyway. Even with reinforcements from his doujutsu, Naruto still wasn't sure how safe the seal was at the moment. He was no fuuinjutsu specialist—but Ero-sennin was. His master would definitely know if he did something wrong.

"_Anyhow_," Tsunade-baachan's voice broke off his mental meandering as papers rustled from her direction, "as I was going to say, I don't think we ever got down to a proper discussion of your condition."

Naruto looked up in surprise. He hadn't paid much attention to what she was saying _before_ the Incident, but recalling Shirogiku-sensei's usual rant… "I was poisoned with a new variant of NTX13 in concentrated dose. Short-term effects include localized paralysis. Long-term effects include shortened lifespan. Is there anything else I'm not aware of?"

Sitting down on a chair next to his bed, Tsunade-baachan eyed him strangely. "No. But you seem rather calm about dying before your time."

It was Naruto's turn to stare at her. "How can I die before my time? When I die, it's time for me to die."

Narrowing her eyes, Tsunade-baachan tapped her clipboard. "What about your family? Have you thought about how they will take your death?"

Naruto shifted his eyes towards the ceiling. To tell the truth, he was still getting used to the idea of having a family—much less a clan. Itachi's memories certainly hadn't been much help in that area; whether by choice or by nature, the guy was just too much of a loner.

So Naruto really wasn't sure how much Fugaku and Mikoto would actually miss him if he was gone, but Sasuke… would still have his parents and clan this time around. "I'll make sure I die on the field rather than on a sickbed. It'll be an honorable death. They may not like it, but they will understand…"

He got slapped.

More surprised than hurt, Naruto refocused on Tsunade-baachan. He noticed one of her hands was still up in the air—and shaking. "Understand? It's you who doesn't understand! No parent would want to bury a son. No sibling would want to be left behind!"

He caught a suspicious glint in her eyes. Crap, did he just remind Tsunade-baachan of her past losses? Him and his big mouth…

"Perhaps." Naruto grasped for _something_ to lighten the mood. "Someone once told me that I have a low EQ."

Lowering her hand at his self-deprecation, Tsunade-baachan chuckled with a slight nasal overtone. "That you do, Uchiha Itachi. Just for that, I'll make sure you die old and toothless on _a bed_."

"…" Naruto blinked. Ninjas could only dream to… Had she finally gone off the deep end?

Maybe she had—if the haphazard way Tsunade-baachan waved that clipboard was any indication. "How can you give up when your body clearly hasn't? You should be ashamed of yourself!"

Huh? What she was implying? "My… body?"

Exhaling audibly, Tsunade-baachan glared. "The human body is capable of amazing feats when pushed—and with chakra, even miracles. Make no mistake: at the rate you've been clearly dosing yourself for at least two years, you _should_ be dead."

"…" Naruto supposed Itachi's drug abuse couldn't really fool a med-nin of her caliber.

At his silence though, Tsunade-baachan seemed to have gotten calmer. "And the only reason you're _not_ is all these strange pockets your chakra has developed around the excess NTX13F particles. As long as you don't run low on chakra, they prevent the chemical from overwhelming your normal body functions—but the high concentration of retained poison has obviously messed up the readings they've been getting off you."

Naruto could tell Tsunade-baachan was trying to 'dumb down' her usual medical jargon, but he still barely got the ideas she described. So Itachi took NTX13F to control his emotional displays, but overdid it and allowed the thing to build up? Then somehow his own body tried to save itself by storing the chemical in pockets using… chakra?

Er, Naruto knew Itachi was very intelligent—but he'd never thought it applied to the guy's body too!

Naruto supposed this might account for 'his' chakra's weird disappearances around certain parts of this body. He didn't even notice the constant drain at first—so similar was the feeling to the Seal in his old body. Even when the lack of a reciprocal feedback brought home his non-jinchuuriki status, Naruto still wasn't sure what exactly was going on. Tsunade-baachan's explanation might finally account for his easy slips in activating his Sharingan though. The kekkei genkai was very much tuned to its user's emotions and…

He was constantly molding _some_ chakra.

Sifting through his more 'recent' memories though, Naruto had to ask, "Is it safe to assume this has also led to my perceived low stamina?"

Tsunade-baachan nodded. "This coping mechanism your body came up with is a double-edged sword. Because you retain the poison, NTX13's base exclusiveness rejects other poisons. But once you dip into the chakra used for maintaining those pockets, nothing's keeping the poison from turning against you. You're lucky a minor fever was all you got from this latest episode of chakra exhaustion."

Naruto exhaled slowly. Okay, if contained poison = chakra drain + possible leakage… "Then perhaps it is best if this poison is removed completely."

"That would be the preferred treatment." Tsunade-baachan's smile did not reach her eyes. "But those pockets have siphoned off your chakra for too long. With your body meshing them as a part of your chakra network, I can't extract the poison without irreparably damaging your coils."

Well, this won't be the first time things just _had_ to turn out difficult for him. It was frustrating, but Naruto was somewhat used to it. "At lower concentrations, can't my body just break down the poison on its own?"

Lowering the clipboard onto her lap, Tsunade-baachan gave him another odd look. "Sure it can. But can you stop using chakra?"

"…" Naruto blinked.

"I don't think so either. But by using chakra, you will always feed some of it to those pockets in passing—making them difficult to weaken to allow poison of _any_ concentration to filter through." Her smile took on a wry edge as she fingered a sheet of paper from the clipboard. "I can repair the remaining damage on your nerve endings over the next few days—the procedure is tricky, but doable for me. Just don't think about working behind my back before you recover from this chakra exhaustion! I'll know!"

Naruto could only nod. The bit about those chakra pockets flew right over his head, but he caught the part about nerve endings—which he heard often enough when his frozen cheeks were discussed. So whatever Tsunade-baachan was going to do, it sounded like a way for allowing him to finally grin without making a fool of himself…

"Speaking of which," Tsunade-baachan's smile was downright feral now, "You need to stop exhausting your chakra _all the time_. Even if we stop the leakage like we did this time, your body has shown it'll simply add even more chakra to those pockets—meaning we'll have to wait even longer for your body's panicky defense to stop feeding them. And until the pockets get thin enough, I can't draw out the poison safely…"

Well, while he wasn't quite used to it yet, Naruto figured he could deal with stingier usage of his chakra. After all, if Itachi could get by with a base stamina this small, why couldn't he? "I'll keep that in mind."

"See that you do!" Tsunade-baachan flicked his forehead, lightly and without force. Still, the gesture startled him.

"Why…" Naruto started, but he couldn't finish his question. He was confused. He wanted to believe this Tsunade-baachan somehow _knew_ he was Uzumaki Naruto, the genin she would someday gift her necklace and placed her hope with—but he had to admit that was a pipe dream at best.

So why was she acting so casual, so _friendly_ around a total stranger like 'Itachi'? Why was she interested in an almost-nukenin's case? And even if Itachi had planned for it as a _possible _outcome, why did she agree to return to Konoha this early when she never did in the other timeline? Why… _why_?

Tsunade-baachan seemed taken aback by her own action as well. And while his incomplete question apparently brought her attention back, she still didn't reply for a good minute. There were expressions flickering across her face one after the other—all of them too fast for Naruto to identify, even with his trained eyesight.

Finally, she settled with an eerily soft smile. "The expectations of a whole clan can be suffocating…"

Naruto waited, but Tsunade-baachan never finished the sentence. Instead, she dropped the smile and asked with—for the lack of a better description—_creepy_ big eyes. "Now, are you going to tell me what kind of deskwork could possibly require you to use up so much chakra every day?"

His mind short-circuited at the familiarity of those ghoul-like eyes. Before he could catch himself, Naruto found himself stuttering nervously, "A…ah, well… you… you see…"

"Would it have something to do with the new seals I found on Naruto?"

Ero-sennin?

Finding the source of that familiar voice, it took all of Naruto's restraint to bite back his nickname for the white-haired shinobi climbing through the window. This was neither 'his' godfather nor 'his' master. Not anymore.

That didn't mean he wouldn't try to build a new relationship with the man.

So giving Ero-sennin the biggest smile he could manage, Naruto began his explanation, "Actually…"

.

"_For the last six years, bowroot has been successfully…_"

Ignoring the alien perfection of his font-like handwriting, Naruto racked his brain for the most 'politically correct' word he could use next. Three days of complete incapacitation had left him with very little time to complete his portion of the assessment report on schedule, but he couldn't just rush through it either.

"…_domesticated in northwestern Hi no Kuni with sustainable yields_," he finally wrote. That should avoid any hint of the dubious method by which the original seeds were obtained from Kusa. "_Thus, demand is reduced for…_"

The door to his ward opened.

Putting down his brush on an inkstone on the side table, Naruto glanced up to see Fugaku walking into the room. Before the door shut behind the man though, Naruto saw two other dark-haired men loitering outside—both with the Uchiha clan symbol printed on the back of their shirt.

Not letting his uneasiness show, Naruto carefully rolled up the report and set it aside. All the while, his eyes were fixed on Fugaku's. It was a sign of trust among the Uchiha: to look at a known Sharingan-user in the eye.

At least, those perpetually pursed lips seemed to loosen somewhat at his subtle show of submission.

"I have negotiated with Hokage-sama," the man began, after he was seated in a chair by the bed. "Once you are released from the Hospital, Itachi, you will be reinstated as a regular member of the ANBU."

Naruto rested his fingers on the bed blanket. What happened to the example he was supposed to set for other ANBU members? Wouldn't the Council make a fuss about his prematurely terminated 'punishment'? "That is quite… soon."

Fugaku looked _almost_ smug. "He has no choice but to reassure us. _His_ former student has committed a serious act of hostility against the Uchiha clan. _His_ ninja have failed to stop the abduction and locate the abductees. He is lucky we're not demanding more compensation."

Naruto pressed his fingers into the blanket. "Suspect K has confirmed Tansui was responsible."

"K is also an agent planted by Orochimaru," Fugaku dismissed the correction. "Tansui was clearly manipulated or coerced by him. Orochimaru is the true mastermind who sought the Uchiha kekkei genkai. Hokage-sama cannot deny that."

"…" That still didn't mean Fugaku should hold Sandaime-jiichan responsible for this mess!

Relaxing his fingers, Naruto tried to stay calm. Alright, Sandaime-jiichan could have his own reasons for meeting Fugaku's demand. Maybe the Old Man was using the opportunity to move a trusted subordinate's reinstatement ahead of schedule. Maybe the Old Man was confirming the temporary nature of his current assignment—and sanctioning his clone's unauthorized use of ANBU gear during Kabuto's capture. Maybe…

Naruto just wasn't sure if he liked the idea of being a bargaining chip.

Probably taking his silence as tacit acceptance, Fugaku spoke again, "Given you're still in the process of completing a diplomatic mission, Hokage-sama has specifically arranged for you to assist Jiraiya-san as your first assignment after reinstatement. With your on-going mission as cover, you will serve two roles as an ANBU operative: (1) a liaison with this retrieval mission for the Hokage, and (2) an observer of the mission for the Uchiha clan."

"…" As the words sunk in, Naruto realized he was stuck in Itachi's old role. He was still the _frigging_ 'pipe' connecting the Uchiha clan to Konoha—except he was obviously now a double-agent whose cover had been blown.

…So Sandaime-jiichan had openly discussed a classified mission for 'Itachi' with Fugaku.

…So Fugaku had outright requested for 'Itachi' to be the clan's eyes on a mission that involved the retrieval of its abducted members.

If his 'continual' service could help rebuilding the broken trust between 'his' clan and village in this alternate timeline though, then Naruto was ready to give it his all.

But Fugaku was not done. "Of course, those will be missions assigned to you by Konoha. The clan wants you to be ready for another mission…" The man's eyes hardened. "You are to kill the missing individuals."

Naruto blinked. The order had come totally out of the blue, and in direct contradiction with what Fugaku had just said he agreed upon with Sandaime-jiichan!

"…the missing individuals?" Naruto heard his voice asking with uncanny softness.

"Yes." Fugaku frowned. "They are liabilities."

"Liabilities," Naruto repeated again. He could not believe what he was hearing. "How are they _liabilities_?"

Fugaku's frown deepened. "Orochimaru is doubtlessly experimenting on them. Given his past record, the abductees' minds may have already been tampered with. They may return to us as sleeper agents. With Madara at large, the Uchiha clan cannot afford to have such liabilities."

Naruto bit back an outraged retort—it would solve nothing. Appealing to Fugaku's Uchiha-centric logic instead, he countered, "You are making assumptions, Chichiue. With or without Sharingan, all members of our clan are gifted with strong minds. They fuel our above-average chakra. They support our above-average resistance against mental intrusion. We cannot be controlled by puerile tricks…"

Too bad Fugaku didn't even appreciate the bullshit he cooked up just for him. "And you are letting your sentiments color your judgment, Itachi. Exceptions happen. Minds can be manipulated by words and contrived experiences."

Well, Itachi knew that better than anyone… Guess so did Fugaku.

Said man was giving him a stern look, complete with activated Sharingan. "My order is final—is that understood?"

Like hell! So what did Fugaku take his own clansmen for? Tools? Leverages? _Things_ to cast aside when they became 'liabilities'? They were people. _His_ people!

Fighting back a familiar heat behind his eyes, Naruto murmured, "Unless their guilt is proven, I will not have my kin's blood on my hands." Being tormented with Itachi's _physical _experience and Madara's _psychological _illusion had been bad enough. "They are the people we are obligated to protect."

Fugaku thundered, "That is _why_ I'm entrusting you with this mission! Ours was once respected as the strongest of all clans—but now? The Hyuuga has surpassed us in total number. The Inuzuka has outstripped us in external enlistment. Tell me, Itachi, what had diminished us when three Great Ninja Wars hardly did?!"

Naruto had a hard time diverting the heated chakra surging to his eyes. He knew the answer to Fugaku's question, of course. It had been what prompted the Council to select Itachi for that 'mission' after all…

"Internal strife," his reply came out barely above a whisper.

"So you have not forgotten," Fugaku remarked dryly. "Yes, it was the pursuit for Mangekyou Sharingan after Madara's attainment, the dispute over clan leadership during Shodai's reign, and the rebellion from blood supremacists during Nidaime's reign. Our ancestors have fought bitterly to achieve our solidarity today. I will _not_ have it broken within my term."

Naruto supposed he could sort of see where Fugaku was coming from—and alarmingly enough, a small part of his mind even agreed. Just look at what Sasuke did after getting that stupid curse seal…

No! Sasuke's defection was more complicated than that! And… and Fugaku was just going way too far with his preemptive measures! If the man was going to do this every time someone was suspected of potential treachery, wouldn't the clan wipe itself out before Orochimaru or Madara could even make an actual move?

Unwilling to give up, Naruto tried a more 'objective' approach: "The elders have invaluable knowledge that…"

"…are sealed in archives under the Temple," Fugaku cut off his attempt at bringing up the potential pitfalls. "It is imperative to ensure Orochimaru doesn't gain access to any more information than he may already have."

Naruto tightened his hands into fists. Alright, so the status of elders was only honorary within this clan. But what about: "Fukurou is an ANBU who…"

"…has been taken off the roster due to a coma," Fugaku brushed him off again. "She was an excellent kunoichi—but given her condition, you will be doing her a favor by ending her life before Orochimaru messes with her body."

Lowering his eyes, Naruto saw that his knuckles had turned white. So for all the work Fukurou had done for her clan, this was the thanks she was getting? A mercy kill? He was almost afraid of what other nonsense the clan head could spew out. "Tansui is only a genin who has yet to activate the Sharingan. Surely Orochimaru wouldn't…"

"He's a traitor." Fugaku interjected coldly. "Whatever his reason, the fact remains he has abducted and delivered three members of our clan into Orochimaru's hands."

Looking up, Naruto could no longer hold back a stare. Hadn't Fugaku said…?

As if picking up on his unspoken question, Fugaku elaborated, "It benefits the clan to convince Hokage-sama that we believe Tansui is innocent, and that the sole blame lies with Orochimaru. But as the clan head, I cannot allow myself to be deluded by the excuse. Assisted or not, if Tansui could abduct three Uchiha within Konoha, then he is a security risk for us—to be eliminated as soon as possible."

"…" Naruto struggled to digest this turnabout. So Fugaku _lied_ to Sandaime-jiichan? The idea was unthinkable for Naruto. Even Itachi, duplicitous as he was, would only go as far as _hiding_ certain things from the Hokage!

Possibly sensing his internal turmoil, Fugaku narrowed his eyes. "Why the hesitation, Itachi? As an ANBU captain, you must have learned that a leader needs the capacity to sacrifice one for the benefits of many? Regardless of how close you are to Fukurou and Tansui, they are but two members of our clan."

Oh, Itachi had definitely learned. Why else would he massacre his _whole damn clan_? Besides, Fugaku was being a total hypocrite! The man had saved his son from being arrested by the Konoha Military Police—even when it became obvious Itachi might have become a _liability_ for the clan.

'_Perhaps he simply did not wish to arouse suspicion from Hokage-sama before the clan is ready._' That voice in his head was being chillingly logical again. '_And who is to say his decision now is not a direct result of his past failure?_'

Argh, but that still didn't justify this 'mission'! Even if Tansui incriminated himself, the others were innocent!

"My apologies, Chichiue." Naruto smothered his frustration under Itachi's nearly emotionless voice. "I'm afraid I cannot accept the mission."

"What are you saying?!" Fugaku was clearly taken aback by his refusal at first, but the man's expression also quickly settled into one of obvious anger. "Have you lost your mind?!"

"I am in full possession of my mental faculties." Naruto smiled sardonically. "I am merely unable to kill four members of my clan without concrete evidence of their betrayal. As shinobi and kunoichi of Konoha, only Hokage-sama can decide their fate."

"Have you heard nothing of what I said?" Fugaku's face was stony. "They will be liabilities to our clan. If we wait for them to be brought back before the Hokage, we'll be unable to do anything about them!"

"Then we'll do nothing." Naruto kept his thin smile. "Orochimaru is an enemy of Konoha as well. Shouldn't we have faith in Hokage-sama's wisdom in determining whether or not our people have become _liabilities_?"

"Or he may refuse to acknowledge the risks, as he did in allowing Orochimaru to escape in the first place." The tomoe of Fugaku's Sharingan were spinning wildly. "You're placing four individuals above the whole clan! Is it your relationship with that Fukurou girl posing a problem? If she means that much to you, we can honor her as your wife post mortem—but the clan must come _first_."

Naruto didn't know whether to be amused or annoyed. What was it with everyone's assumption of Itachi's closeness to Fukurou? Naruto knew the guy could pull off _very_ convincing illusions when he wanted to—but Naruto didn't exactly enjoy being left to clean up the mess. "No, my decision would be the same even if she were not among the abductees."

"Then what is your problem?!" Fugaku growled. "Four or four hundred… It is clear which side you should sacrifice!"

Naruto had heard enough. Eyes burning painfully, he hissed in return, "One or four hundred… Why hadn't you sacrificed me?"

Before Fugaku could reply, Naruto pressed on with the one question Itachi's conscience never gave him a true answer for: "My clan or our world… Which side should I have sacrificed that night?"

Fugaku's eyes had gone dark. "Was this why you chose to commit suicide instead?"

Naruto was surprised he was even able to keep a straight face. Way to ruin the mood! Well… he might as well make use of his silly blunder. "I find that in the end, I can only sacrifice myself."

"You wanted your death to be a message." Fugaku clearly had no trouble making his own interpretation of the Uchiha-ish hint, but the man's tone was also disturbingly hollow, "You wanted to hint at the losses we would suffer regardless of which side made the first strike."

Nodding, Naruto tried not to be bothered by his own encouragement of the falsehood—it got Fugaku _listening_, right? Time to drop his true thoughts on the matter though: "Yes. I am willing to sacrifice myself if it can be the smallest price needed for the greater good. However, I will not make that assumption for others. I will not make that _choice_ for others. I can only make the decision for myself."

Naruto found Fugaku was strangely silent while he gave his spiel.

"And you said you want to become the Hokage?" Fugaku asked at last, looking tired beyond his years. "You are too naïve, Itachi. Those assumptions and choices are what you have to make as any type of a leader. When you assign a task, you assume it will be carried out—despite risks. You _are_ making the decision for others' lives."

"At least they're _told_!" Naruto snarled, unable to hold back his self-righteous rage anymore. In fact, he wasn't sure if he even wanted to. "Mission specs give people the chance to decide if they're ready to make potential sacrifices! But you…! You're asking me to kill four possibly innocent members of our clan—who get no say on whether or not they want to give up their life just so you can sleep easy at night!"

"You…" Face flushed, Fugaku had stood up from his chair. "You insolent…!"

Naruto bit his lips, but he didn't regret his outburst. He was done with putting up with Itachi's stupid politeness before someone who didn't deserve it!

And then he heard Fugaku's barely audible sigh.

"As your father, I've tried to understand you." The man stiffly turned and began walking away. "But I could never tell what you're thinking…"

Naruto found his fury melting away rapidly at Fugaku's pensive tone. Shoot! What had he been thinking? _Itachi_ wouldn't have thrown a tantrum like that…

"Your clan mission stands." Fugaku didn't stop until he was at the door. "As you said, it is your choice to carry through with it… or not. I've already given you my reasons."

Naruto could feel his eyes widening. Was Mr. Authoritarian actually backing off?

Oblivious to his shock, Fugaku continued without turning back, "I cannot say that I agree with your silly ideologies you keep in your head, but I am… glad to hear you speaking out at last."

Opening the door, the clan head promptly left with his companions. Naruto noticed a rippling of blue chakra dissipating from the door frame. So, not only had those two Uchiha stood guard outside, but they also maintained a high-level privacy jutsu around the ward? Considering the sensitive nature of Fugaku's talk with him, Naruto supposed the security protocol was expected…

Exhaling harshly, Naruto deactivated and massaged his eyes. There was no way his distracted mind could continue with the report now—it was not due for another four days, anyway. Taking a quick glance at the blue sky outside, Naruto decided that he could use some fresh air before getting back to work.

But it wasn't until he had hobbled close to the window on a crutch that Naruto realized something was wrong: the window… it was open.

Frowning, Naruto carefully examined the tiny opening left between two panes. He was pretty sure the cleaners shut the window quite tightly after they were done this morning. And just what was that _thing_ glinting under the sunlight at the edge?

Nabbing the article in question with a finger, Naruto saw that it was a _very_ long piece of white hair.

Oh-oh…

.

Pocketing another small scroll securely in his chuunin vest, Naruto bowed and exited Sandaime-jiichan's office.

…Only to be swarmed by his 'new' squad waiting outside the door.

"How did Hokage-sama find it, Itachi-taichou?"

"Ha, I bet I won the bet! Hand over my money now, Iruka!"

"You realize you're betting _again_, Kotetsu?"

"Don't mind him, Izumo. So do we have to wait for Team C05A's return before setting out?"

Ill at ease among 'peers' that included his one-time Academy teacher and Chuunin Exam proctors, Naruto carefully navigated his way out of the group and led them into a conference room across the hall. "Hokage-sama has expressed great satisfaction with our work. I believe his exact words were: 'Very thorough.'"

Iruka-sen… Chuunin 'Iruka' positively beamed as Naruto closed the room's door behind them. It was a disturbing sight—especially when Naruto thought he could spot a translucent tail-like _thing_ waggling behind the teenager. It had to be the dust floating around in this place! It had to be!

He was freed from the traumatizing mirage by a hard pat on the back.

"See? You can't go wrong with Iruka proof-reading our report." Chuunin 'Kotetsu' was casually rubbing his bandaged nose when he turned to face him—Naruto still wondered what the cloth was doing there when the guy's disguise as a kid didn't include it… "The way he nitpicked our grammar, you'd think they should have placed him at the Academy."

Well, unless things _really_ changed, that should be where Iruka-sensei would be headed for next year…

"And they should have demoted _you_ for leaving us to do all the research." Next to Kotetsu, chuunin 'Izumo' was giving off almost tangible waves of annoyance with his one exposed eye under a bandana. "I doubt you drank enough water to justify making the washroom visits once every ten minutes!"

"Enough, you two," the deep voice of chuunin 'Shimon' interrupted their banter from his position on Naruto's right side. "Sorry, Itachi-taichou, they should have shown you more respect."

Um, right, he was 'Itachi' now. Leading a bunch of near-strangers shouldn't faze him! "It's alright, Shimon-san. I understand my age doesn't quite inspire confidence."

"That's because they don't know…" the senior chuunin fell silent after receiving a warning look from him.

"I'd like a talk with you afterwards." Naruto held Shimon-san's eyes for another second before briefing the rest of his squad. "Yes, Hokage-sama has given us the go-ahead. We have this weekend to make final preparations, but Team C05B will head out for Kusa with the proposed amendments comes Monday. Team C05C will remain in Konoha as Hokage-sama's liaison, as we have discussed yesterday."

"Geez, that's so unfair." Kotetsu scratched his head. "Those guys on Team C05A get to sit around and enjoy nice herbal tea with Kusa ladies while we have to sweat and go the extra mile?"

"Idiot." Izumo looked like he was on the verge of hitting someone. "You're on Team C05_C_…"

"If there are no other questions, then we will reconvene in this room on Monday prior to Team C05B's departure." Having rushed through his line over Kotetsu's grumble, Naruto quickly turned to 'examine' the Hokage portraits on the wall—before his recently liberated face could slip into an 'out-of-character' expression. Must keep cool… Keep…

He ended up with a series of hiccups.

"Water, Itachi-taichou?"

Naruto stared at the water bottle being offered to him by… 'Iwashi'? The chuunin was a little hard to recognize without that goatee…

Coughing off another hiccup, Naruto shook his head. "No, thank you. I'll be fine in… hic… another minute."

But when he regained control of his throat, Naruto nearly froze at the realization of what he did. Had he just let Itachi's paranoia get the better of him again? Sure, he had reacquainted with most of these chuunins as 'Itachi' for barely a month—but how could he have possibly thought they might try to poison him?

He had to stop thinking like a nukenin.

So consciously slowing down his walk from the table, Naruto tried to start a casual 'small talk' with Iwashi. "Where did you find the replacement for marsh yarrow? Kusa definitely won't be expecting that…"

Words trailed off as Naruto got a sudden urge to bang his head on the wall. Boy was he doomed. He could only start a conversation with _work_ now?

Fortunately (or unfortunately), Iwashi apparently didn't expect anything _else_ from 'Itachi' either. Back straightened, the teenager replied stiffly, "Tsunade-sama volunteered her notes, Itachi-taichou. During her travel, she has discovered replacements for many herbs currently monopolized by Kusa."

Tsunade-baachan? Since when did she do more than just gambling outside Konoha?

But back to Iwashi's obvious tautness… "Relax." Naruto almost sighed. "I'm not asking for a briefing."

That seemed to kill the conversation right there though. The other teenager simply didn't appear to be the type to talk with a superior unless his assistance was required—or requested. The Uchiha clan's elitist reputation was also _not_ helping his case.

And judging from the voices behind him, the rest of his squad was preoccupied at the moment too. Kotetsu and Izumo sounded like they were going into their _fifth_ 'fight' of the day—over Kotetsu's laziness, of course. Being the most senior of the group, Shimon seemed to have taken it upon himself to break up the bickering pair—again. Iruka-sen… When Naruto actually took a backward glance, he could see that Iruka had quietly kept out of the commotion—and was nose-deep in a book titled 'Of Grass and Me.'

Naruto supposed it could be worse. Like Iruka-sensei falling prey to Ero-sennin's PWP…

Er, right. Moving on!

Getting back into action again was well and good, but Naruto felt more than a little apprehensive about his scheduled meeting with his superior-to-be this upcoming week. He hadn't seen Ero-sennin around Konoha since his briefing at the Hospital, although he had some suspicions about the eavesdropper on his conversation with Fugaku. However, Sandaime-jiichan hadn't said anything, so Naruto could only hope he hadn't been caught saying anything stupid during the talk… Still, if his master had been suspicious of 'Itachi' before, what would his attitude be now?

And speaking of the retrieval mission, Naruto was also worried about the amount of contribution he could make at this point. He knew the Snake-Bastard had bases scattered all across the continent—and with the number of ANBU already dispatched on the job, one would think they should have found something by now. The fact that progress reports said they had _not_ was… troubling.

Was Orochimaru constantly swapping bases with his abductees? Maybe the slippery snake had simply returned to a base that was searched, while the ANBU went off searching another base he had left…

Or had Orochimaru already taken over one of their bodies—killing and burying the rest? Locating one person _could_ be harder than finding a group…

The idea didn't sit well with Naruto, but it seemed like his only chance at locating the missing Uchiha would be…

"Itachi-taichou!"

Naruto paused as a call behind him dragged him out of his depressing thoughts. Turning around in response to the familiar voice, Naruto shoved aside his worries and twisted his lips into a faint smile. "I was planning to wait for you outside, Shimon-san."

"Sorry, I was held up by Kotetsu and Izumo's argument." Leaving the rest of their squad behind the door, the chuunin walked alongside Naruto down the hallway. "You should be sterner with them, Itachi. What they need are firm hands."

"Isn't that what I have you for, senpai?" Jumping off a back window, Naruto let out a chuckle. The sensation of 'sailing' through the air never failed to lift his spirit in bad times—even if he now had those annoying strands of hair that kept on getting in front of his eyes. "You have the seniority they respect. Not I."

"Seniority isn't everything," Shimon-san commented dryly as he followed Naruto in making a rapid zigzag between rooftops. However, the chuunin paused on a roof in front of the building that Naruto was still jumping towards. "We're heading for Intel?"

Noting his companion's hesitation, Naruto landed beside the kanji sign positioned above the complex. "Yes. Would it inconvenience you to accompany me, senpai? I have a regular ANBU pass, but it may save some unnecessary hassle if I'm seen with a familiar face."

"Not at all, it's almost lunch break for my friends there." Shimon-san sighed as he resigned to take the lead down to the entrance. "And you really needn't address me as 'senpai.' I may have achieved chuunin rank before you, but I'd be your junior if I ever formally register with the ANBU T&I Force. I also doubt our mission records could compare at all if they're ever fully declassified. "

"Is that why you're delaying your exam, Shimon-san?" Smiled wryly, Naruto followed the chuunin through the door. "You could have taken it last week, when I was still technically kicked out of the corps in disgrace."

"I take it that you're back for good though?" Taking out his identification tag at the checkpoint gate, the other chuunin shook his head. "I wish I could say this latest mission was what occupied me, but I'll be honest and say I'm just not confident enough to take the exam anytime soon. Intel pays me well enough as an apprentice interrogator—I guess I just lack the motivation to challenge myself for an official registration with ANBU."

"The exam isn't that… hard." After getting his own pass scanned, Naruto frowned at the last word that nearly slipped out of him without thinking. Fine, if Itachi's experience was anything to go by, ANBU Registry Exam _was_ tough—especially the written General section. He got lucky with Itachi having already gone through the whole ordeal, practical Specialization section included.

Now that he thought about it though, Naruto felt like a shitty free-loader for taking Itachi's rank achievements for granted. Maybe he should at least review the other ninja's study notes one of these days…?

Wait, study notes?

This might just be the thing! Shimon-san had helped him quite a bit on these diplomatic missions, and Naruto really wanted to find a way to thank the chuunin for putting up with his inexperienced blunders. Sure, Naruto had his share of promisingly good successes with some parts of those negotiations—but he knew he also had just about the same number of abysmal failures. Were it not for Shimon-san's saves, their team's record might have gotten rather ugly…

So with barely concealed excitement, Naruto found himself speaking on impulse, "If you like, I can lend you my notes on the General section from two years ago. There might have been format changes since then, but the material should still give you a focus for studying?"

"You kept…?" the chuunin's eyes widened as they went past the lobby. At the sight of their ID, suspicious Intel members had relaxed—but it clearly took the apprentice interrogator's face to loosen the group completely. "Of course… I shouldn't be surprised. They don't call you 'Mother Hen' for nothing, huh?"

Naruto could feel a tick developing in his temple at the inane nickname. Wait until he got his hands on that Shin. "I merely prefer being prepared."

"_Sure_. Thanks for the offer though. Maybe I'll grab the notes off you after I come back from Kusa." The older chuunin halted just before they were about to enter the complex's wing of interrogation cells. "Well, you're in. Good luck with whatever you're here for, Itachi."

"You're welcome, Shimon-san. I will have them ready for you." Naruto smiled—as much from gratitude as from the sheer joy of being _able_ to smile anytime, anywhere, and… er, to almost anyone for any reason. "Thank you, too."

"No problem. I had my doubts when Hokage-sama assigned me to your chuunin team," the chuunin also smiled—and nearly tripped Naruto with what he said next, "but I think Anko got her facts straight for once: you really are a big softie behind the rumors."

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I find it interesting that a reviewer mentioned my "Sasuke neglect"—I definitely haven't forgotten about Naruto/Itachi's canon fixation with him, but his absence serves a purpose. I wonder if I'm finally understanding Kishimoto's situation for being accused of favoring one character over another (even though I was guilty of making said accusation before the whole Pein arc started). Well, at least here I'm "favoring" Naruto. :p

Does this chapter feel incomplete? Originally, I wanted to end this arc quickly—so I planned 6 scenes. But halfway through, I realized I couldn't write everything within 2 weeks; even if I did, the whole thing will be bloated. In the end, I decided to post what I have even if it's now mostly character interaction/development (& maybe some tied loose ends). Hope it hasn't been too boring?

My beta is still on holiday, so this update is the raw thing. If you spot any grammatical errors or logical inconsistencies, feel free to point them out so I can make the appropriate corrections. I've also been worrying about the progression of a dissolving boundary between Naruto & Itachi. I think "Narutachi" is going to be unavoidably OOC for either canon character, but is he IC in his interaction with "canon" characters? I want to present him at the stage where he's teetering between the two, but I wonder if his character just comes off as inconsistent.

Feedback appreciated. I know they all say authors should be content to count the hits, but I'm only human. I can't read minds. Without review/PM, I really don't know if people at least click & left: (1) bored, (2) entertained, or (3) frustrated. So if possible, please drop a word or two? Thanks! :)

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A reviewer mentioned all the characters are starting to get confusing, so here is my attempt at a recap:

UCHIHA CLAN:  
-Madara (former clan head)  
-Matsuku (elder, former MS-holder)**  
-Fuuiro (elder, S-holder)**  
-Yashiro (45, KMP)  
-Fugaku (40, clan head, KMP)  
-Mikoto (35)  
-Inabi (25, KMP)  
-2 "unnamed" KMP officers: Yakumi (28), Tekka (21)  
-unnamed weapon-seller**  
-unnamed waitress**  
-Shisui (deceased, Itachi's best friend)  
-Fukurou (Itachi's lover, Tansui's surrogate sister)*  
-Naruto/Itachi (16?/21?/13)  
-Tansui (13, Shisui's brother)**  
-Koma (Itachi's cousin)**  
-unnamed girl**  
-Sasuke (8)

NARUTO/ITACHI'S FORMER ANBU SQUAD:  
-Kakashi (22, current captain)  
-Anko (20, current vice-captain, Intel/T&I)  
-Hayate (19)  
-Tenzou (18)  
-Yuugao (17)  
-Fukurou (former vice-captain)*  
-Naruto/Itachi (13, former captain)  
-Shin (Ne)  
-Kama (Ne)*  
-Kuwa (Ne)*

NARUTO/ITACHI'S CURRENT CHUUNIN SQUAD:  
-Shimon (23, Team C05B leader, Intel)  
-Kotetsu (21, Team C05C)  
-Izumo (20, Team C05B)  
-Iwashi (19, Team C05B)  
-Iruka (18, Team C05C; 23 in flashback)  
-Naruto/Itachi (13, squad captain, Team C05C leader)

KONOHA AT LARGE:  
-Sandaime (65)  
-Danzou (65)  
-Council: Homura (65), Utatane (64)  
-Tsunade (48)  
-Jiraiya (47)  
-Shirogiku (Head Medical Officer)*  
-unnamed Hyuuga ANBU captain**  
-unnamed Hyuuga receptionist**  
-Ten-ten's father**  
-Kabuto (15)  
-Ayame (13; 21 in flashback)  
-Sakura (8)  
-Ino (8)  
-"chibi" (7)

Note: Any age specified is canon & referenced to one month after the Uchiha Clan Massacre, i.e. ~August  
= Major/minor characters named in canon  
* = Minor characters unnamed in canon  
** = OCs


	20. ARC 2: Capacity II

**EDIT: For those who are reading this chapter for the first time - This version is currently under revision and may be later replaced completely. Please continue/abort as you see fit.**

**To those who have already provided feedback - Many thanks! I had long suspected my characterizations would be quite off after such an extended neglect, but it is only through your objective eyes that I can start to pinpoint where the problems are. There is naturally no guarantee that an eventual new/revised version would be any better, but hopefully it would have taken your valuable comments into consideration. Once again, you guys (and gals) are the best.  
**

**Cheers  
**

**.  
**

**Disclaimer:** The usual. Though I'm starting to wish that I own this series. Or win that next lotto.  
**Warning:** Yes, contain up to even the latest spoilers. Please read on at your own risk.

* * *

**CHAPTER 20 – CAPACITY (II)**

.

Naruto ran, tore, and catapulted into the room. He even made it into a snug seat before the door groaned to a close behind him.

But on the other side of the one-way mirror, the session had obviously already started.

'—_Fine._' Naruto elbowed several chairs out of the way as his feet wheeled him towards the control panel. '—_s fine._' A cacophony of sounds blasted his ears as he fumbled over the kanji-labelled buttons. '_I said IT'S FINE!_'

A pile of folders decided to tip over just then.

An aeon passed as papers and photos and zipper bags and stuff-that-he-could-see-but-didn't-want-to-recognize poured down around him in a blinding flurry. As he caught the last piece of flying scrap notes, his head actually started to hurt from the image overload.

'_And I still hate reading kanji._'

Naruto could've sworn he heard a chuckle somewhere in the back of his head.

He angrily tousled _his_ hair in retaliation. Except, er, well, he kinda regretted it when those loose strands kept falling in front of his eyes for the next five minutes.

That did it. Screw Itachi's laziness. He was going to get a real haircut after this.

The decision miraculously broke his spell of inexplicable clumsiness. Those characters suddenly read like a breeze and the playback system even became coherent on its own after only two more kicks. Maybe, just maybe, he had gotten a tad too worked up over Anko's stupid rumour-mongering.

But oblivious to his glare, said woman finished just as he finally got everything working.

Naruto stared as he watched Anko giving the captive a shrug and sauntering out of the interrogation chamber without another word. That was it? That was quick! Not that he would expect anything less from a former long-time subordinate of Itachi, but—

Before he could execute his signature Hide-Mess-no-Jutsu, Anko had entered the observation room. Thankfully, all he got was a mere glance at the wheel-marks: "Last-minute errand?"

"Yeah…" Standing up, Naruto could only smile sheepishly. "So he's okay with it?"

Anko froze almost imperceptibly before shaking her head. "He wants some clarifications. I don't know enough about the background to this order to properly answer him."

"What is there to clarify?" Naruto felt a frown tugging at his eyebrows. Why did Anko hesitate before giving her reply? "The options were laid out clearly."

"Too clearly." Anko echoed his frown. "So it really was you who lobbied for this order? What were you thinking?"

Why, indeed?

_—"Not even a mercy kill?"_

_His fingers tightened around the hilt, but did not press the blade deeper.  
_

___"How typical of your lot." __Battered and worn, the white-haired genin still managed a hysterical laugh. "My name is a code…My glasses are are a tool…But that's right! I've always been nothing more than a _tool_ to your lot____—__"_  


Naruto lowered his eyes in a seeming nod; he didn't dare raising them until he felt the tingling subdued. "It was the least that I could do."

"You are seriously softer than I thought." Anko was outright grimacing now. "I can see why you'd need that other personality on top of a drug all these–"

Naruto's rising annoyance smothered as the kunoichi apparently bit back her last words. Did he just hear what he just heard? Did they actually believed his spur-of-the-moment explanation for how he managed to obtain the_ Eien no Man_… Hold on! He only told it to Fugaku and the two elders! Since when did the Uchiha clan share any info of value with the village? And something so closely related its _kekkei genkai_, no less? What was the world coming to?!

Not that he actually… minded. He was so sick and tired of all the lies anyway. But it's just– Just a bit too good to be true! In fact, if he was willing to admit, it was more probable that he was simply jumping to a conclusion that he wanted to hear.

So forcing himself to ignore what _had_ to be a bait, Naruto met her eyes squarely. "Off the records or not, Kabuto has possibly saved Konoha on more occasions than I have. Say what you will, but I believe he deserves at least this much!"

"There's a reason why people are remembered by their last act," Anko snorted, even as he curtly turned his back on her. "You can't possibly believe he's still loyal to the village! He's an impulsive liar! A self-made spy!"

Unbidden, Naruto paused briefly in his steps. "And 'once a spy, always a spy'?"

Without waiting for an answer, he left the room.

.

"Itachi-kun." The white-haired captive looked up from his holding dome as if startled. "What a pleasant surprise."

Naruto was too tired to taunt back. Besides, it was rather hard _not_ to notice that the other genin was looking everywhere except his eyes. If Kabuto was trying to guilt-trip him, he was succeeding spectacularly.

"Well, spill." Naruto looked away. "Heard you have questions."

"But of course, I would not dream of occupying your valuable time more than is necessary." After a suspicious pause, Kabuto spoke slowly despite his words—almost in a drawl. "May I ask why have you obtained a pardon order for me?"

Naruto clenched… and unclenched his hands. "That doesn't seem to have anything to do with whether or not you'll take up on it."

Kabuto chuckled. "Sorry, old habits die hard. But I have to wonder why you would bother, after you personally interrogated me the other night?"

Before Naruto could suppressed it, one of his eyebrows twitched. Sure, he was trying to make amends, but that didn't mean he had to dance to the guy's tune either. "So what's your actual question?"

Kabuto's response came in an eerily familiar tone: "What's the real order?"

Naruto heard the words, but they weren't making sense. "What real order?"

"I know the drill." Kabuto's voice remained emotionless. "There is no need to test my loyalty; you must have ensured the room is sealed."

'_He assumes that I came with an order from Danzou._' Realization hit, drawing out an anger that Naruto thought he had left outside the chamber with Anko.

Swing back without another thought, Naruto grabbed Kabuto by the collar. "Will you man up? Stop using missions as your crutch! We are perfectly thought-capable humans before we can be those so-called _tools_!"

Kabuto only yawned. His voice reverted back to that sickening cheerfulness as if those toneless sentences had came from a completely different person. "My, you still believe in what this village harps to the other nations? The Academy truly did a number on your brain then, Mr. Rookie-of-the-Year. "

"Hey, you don't see me bringing up your _Ne_ conditioning." Naruto spat back. He had nothingn to do with the Uchiha brothers' academics. "Or was it Orochimaru's I-am-your-shining-beacon speech that did you in? It didn't really sound all that convincing to me at the time, but maybe he had improved enough by the time he tried it on you?"

"Touché." Kabuto inclined his head. "Orochimaru-sama can be over-dramatic at times, but he was at least right about one thing: Only we can define ourselves."

"He actually said that?" Naruto felt his eyes widen. "Okay, he has his moments."

"So why have you obtained a pardon order for me?" Kabuto asked again, smiling _coyly_ this time.

Naruto rolled his eyes, but wordlessly took his hands off the other ninja. Talk about being haphephobic… "I once knew a guy who grew up not knowing what he was. He didn't like the conclusion he drew from other people's actions around him, so he went ahead and worked towards one himself .

"I wanted to give you a chance to live for your own goals, that's all."

Kabuto finally met his eyes. "What a fascinating story. But I'm afraid I already have a goal, and infiltration missions are currently my best means of reaching it."

Sounded like a weird goal. "That so? Well, as long as you're sure it's your goal and not some random target that someone else had coerced you into taking."

Oddly enough, Kabuto actually narrowed his eyes at this point. Maybe they were still too close to each other? "You must not know your _guy_ very well then. A goal—even if it was shown by another to begin with—is more than what a lot of people could ever ask for, _Uchiha_-san."

"What do any of us really have to start with at birth?" Naruto shrugged, trying to step back to give Kabuto his comfort zone. "Our name? We usually don't get a choice with that. Our body? We often also have no say with that. Our senses? Not everyone could take those for granted either.

"But to think: given a chance, we can grow up to question those! We can make a name for ourselves. We can train our body. We can complement our senses. Those things may not always come easy, but I believe we'd always find a way if our mind is set. In my eyes, the real challenge is to make sure what you are pursuing them of your own volition.

"That's why I wanted to remove at least some of the obstacles for you." Naruto clenched his fist. "I wanted to let you live without constantly worrying about a master. You don't have to spy for fear of Sasori, Orochimaru, Danzou, or even Konoha. You don't have to define yourself through the missions they gave you! Heck, if you don't want to be a ninja, this order will even let you walk out of here as an anonymous civilian!"

Yes, even if his original recommendation was to nurture Kabuto's obvious potential and groom him for becoming Konoha's most respected medical ninja—if that wasn't something Kabuto wanted, then Naruto would just back the guy for whatever he really wanted to achieve in his life! Now more than ever, he believed Kabuto deserved a far better future than trying to carve out a pitiful identity in Orochimaru's shadow!

"Be my own master, huh?" Kabuto murmured, faintly smiling. "You're two years too late, Itachi-kun. Orochimaru-sama had already given me the chance."

"With carrots and sticks?" Naruto curled his lips. "I wasn't talking about choosing from options that were given to you. Goals should be about creating new options for yourself… "

Kabuto's smile deepened. "My goal will give me new options."

Naruto was actually a little curious about the guy's goal now. And yes, he was pointedly ignoring the voice nagging him about the dangers of releasing Kabuto back into the spying business—even with the suspicion that can be carefully magnified at a convenient time basing from his past month's captivity. "But honestly, infiltration missions?"

"Perhaps you need a fresh reminder," Kabuto twisted his smile into a smirk, "but not everyone sees those missions as _undesirable_. Don't project your preconceptions onto me."

As if taking a cue, his own darkest memory whose replay he had tortured himself with over and over again came to him then:

—_Casually twisting the bloodied blade in his hand again, Sasuke smirked. "What makes you think I am you, dumbass?"_

Naruto's breath caught, and he couldn't find his voice for a while. Damn, so much for complaining about how people kept on mistaking him for Itachi. They were not the same person. They were not identical. None of them were. Sure, at some levels, they could probably understand other people who might have shared similar experiences or principles—but understanding didn't always mean agreement.

Naruto heard a… nice laugh. It wasn't loud. It wasn't deep. It was… just infectious. Then he realized that he was the one laughing.

It was his post-Fourth-Great-Ninja-War laugh. Through Itachi's throat.

But by the time he had realized that, the words had already left his mouth: "You stole my line!"

Those diplomatic missions must be good for something after all, because Naruto was actually _relieved_ when he was able to smoothly recover: "But y'know, I think we both hold such preconceptions for a reason…

"_Hajimemashite_, '_Uchiha Itachi' desu_." Naruto grinned as he swiped his pass over the dome and reached out to a released—but frowning—'Kabuto'. Yeah, yeah, it wasn't proper customs but he had enough of all the bowing and the bow-backing within the Uchiha clan already. "_Douzo yoroshiku_."

.

"He's crazy!"

"Am not."

"He so is!"

"Not!"

"Is!" Someone coughed behind Anko and him.

"N—" Naruto whirled around and found a flush-faced Ero-sennin. "Hi?"

"Kids these days…" the white-haired ninja started—before being pummelled by a disturbingly cheerful Tsunade-baachan.

"Oh, sorry." She smiled innocently. "I thought a _kid_ was trying to interrupt."

Naruto numbly cranked his neck over to the side. Seeing a déjà-vu, he was suddenly unsure if the benign expression on Sandaime-jiichan's face was actually sincere or not.

"Tsunade had examined Itachi only last week." See, he could even hear _something_ in that flat sentence! "I had given Itachi the scroll with full confidence in her report."

"But he just released Kabuto! With no guards or safeguards. Nothing!" Anko didn't looked reassured. In fact, her flush had completely taken over a face that had been so white after they met again outside the interrogation chamber—as white as if she had seen a ghost. "He let that bastard walk _free_!"

"Itachi was authorized if that was Kabuto's decision." The Hokage calmly stated.

"This _fool_ just loosened a traitor among us," Anko hissed between gritted teeth. "Orochimaru has another uncovered set of eyes in this village again!"

"Guy's been declared a detainee for at least one month." Naruto rolled his eyes. "His past contacts were either identified or alerted in the process. His past acquaintances all knew what he might have been up to. He won't be back to any sort of spying capacity for at least another two weeks."

"I don't see you bringing him back into T&I's hands after that!" Anko spat. "Like I said, you've really gone off the deep end this time!"

Surprisingly, it was Ero-sennin who spoke in his defense this time. "His logic sounds good to me. I think you just weren't listening: That kid isn't going to be fully trusted by anyone ever again."

Anko's eyes widened.

Baachan pummelled Ero-sennin again.

"That wasn't quite what I meant…" Naruto interjected weakly. Ah, well, it was sort of a testament in itself if they all forgot about Anko's past for a moment there, right? "I mean, there are no bad spies in the world—just spies with bad orders."

"Indeed." Jiichan quickly backed him up too. But what was with that… thoughtful look? "Itachi had discussed all aspects of this issue with me before I signed off on that order. Regardless of his decision, Kabuto would pose no risk to us as long as adequate care is taken; in this case, Jiraiya will be his supervisor for the next mission."

"Understood." Anko stiffly responded. "I wasn't… thinking. Please excuse me, I am not feeling too well."

The door had barely closed when Sandaime-jiichan spoke again, "I heard your clan is starting to prepare for the Fire Festival again this year?"

Naruto blinked, then belatedly realized the question was directed to him. "Er, yea… I mean, yes! Repair work in the District is almost complete, and the festival won't really be held until December anyway."

"Another ten years." Tsunade-baachan dryly observed. "I don't suppose you still remember the previous one?"

"I remember." Well, Naruto sure wouldn't remember something so far back himself, but Itachi… That guy could keep a long memory. Besides, _that day_ had been one of the most significant for him. "This year's will probably be on the largest scale though; we are no longer in a war." _Yet._

"Let me know if you require any assistance." Jiichan smiled wistfully. "Every festival had been a well-cherished event for the village."

Was he suppose to take a cue somewhere in that? "I will communicate that to the Clan Head."

Ero-sennin might have been about to say something, but Baachan beat him to it with an elbow. Now Naruto was certain that he had just missed something.

"Spend this weekend with your family, Itachi." The Hokage spoke as if he had seen none of his students' antics. "You've trained hard enough."

"You you—You were spying on me!" Naruto spluttered before he quickly lowered an unconsciously raised finger. Having guesses were one thing, but to hear them straight from the horse's mouth… "Um, but I've been out of practice for a while and I'll be responsible for seven other ninjas come Monday. Diplomatic mission or not, I need to bring them back safely!"

Naruto almost spluttered again when he saw Sandaime-jiichan sharing an obviously meaningful look with Baachan and Ero-sennin. He hated it when people acted as if he wasn't there!

"No matter how thorough we prepare them, plans always have flaws," Sandaime-jiichan finally said, with almost-enunciated words. "Accidents happen even under the best of our care. Just as easily your teammates' families can lose them on a mission, so can your family lose you; that is why we teach you to watch each other's back. Go home, Itachi."

'_But I don't wanna._' Naruto nearly whined, but bit back just in time. Alright, so maybe he had been avoiding Itachi's parents a bit. Or maybe more than a bit. Actually, probably more like a lot. There, he admitted it!

He had accepted Itachi's name as a label that he would have to go around with, but accepting the guy's family as his own… would still take more time. He wasn't quite ready yet. He didn't want to forget his own badass _tou-chan_ and awesome _kaa-chan_. He didn't want to lose what little recollections he had before they could be all passed onto the chibi. He just wasn't.

But: "I'll try." Naruto sighed. Itachi owed him really big time. He was so going to torture the _softie_ with bunnies in the after-life. "If you'll excuse me—_Jiichan_, _Ero-sennin_, _Baachan_."

Tsunade-baachan's Fist of Ungodly Wrath never reached him.

Mhahaha, unless Ero-sennin brought out the big guns, he won't be beat on speed now!

.

Naruto felt an eyebrow twitched as both Sasuke and chibi reach him at the _exact same_ time—even with Sasuke's hand on a fistful of chibi's clothes and chibi's leg between Sasuke's ankles. He was never that bad with hiding his tracks when he was their age, right? He couldn't have.

"I was here first!" "Was me! You cheated!"

Taking a deep breath, Naruto pointed to the dishes that have been separated on two sides of a _very long_ kitchen counter.

"Help me put back these dishes?"

But when they both came running to him after finishing their pile at the same time, Naruto wanted to dig up Itachi's grave.

"Go take your baths." And no, he was not going into the bathroom with them. Mikoto could take care of deciding which one of them gets to go into the hot bath first.

That should give him enough downtime for the next little bit. Walking back to Itachi's bedroom up the stairs, Naruto resumed his latest experiment with Rasengan. It was probably too late to be worrying about it now, but he still hoped this would be a somewhat more private space than those training grounds.

Extending a palm, he watched with pride as a perfect wind-infused Rasengan spiraled into shape. It had taken him several days of exhaustion (and being tied to the hospital bed on Tsunade-baachan's order) to create enough clones to safely test it out, but he could finally manage it with minimal wastes of chakra in Itachi's body.

Now, for the part that still eluded him: adding Itachi's…

"Is that Yondaime-sama's Rasengan?"

Startled, Naruto nearly lost control. He had a moment of panic when his eyes found Mikoto standing beside an opened screen door.

When could she creep up to him like that?

Dispersing the chakra, Naruto shut out the Voice-In-His-Head. Screw it, he really didn't want to make up another excuse now. He had already given the Uchiha enough to work with; he didn't want to lose himself any deeper with lies—like Itachi …and Kabuto. "Yeah, but a completed version."

See? Mikoto only raised an eyebrow. "His was incomplete?"

"He was planning to add elemental nature transformation to it." Naruto shrugged, extending another palm to bring forth a plain-vanilla version.

"I didn't know he documented his work." Mikoto examined it, admiration clear in her voice.

"He didn't."

Mikoto froze, then looked away.

"It's okay. You can probably already tell this is not a jutsu that can be copied by Sharingan." Naruto grinned. "At least, not without one's own sweat and blood. The basic principle is really what anyone could have found out from Academy text, but you'd have to worked it out yourself."

"He was a good Hokage." Mikoto slowly turned back, but her eyes were still lowered. "Very intelligent, but also very compassionate. Sometimes, I think it is a miracle how he hadn't broke from the kind of missions he had been through."

He knew it! His dad was great! It was the first time that Naruto had directly heard anything about his father from someone in the same generation—other than his own kaa-chan, of course. He almost beamed from her words as if he was complimented himself. "Because he must be very strong too! Not just as a ninja, but also as a person!"

"Or perhaps, he is the only one he sees as a tool." Mikoto murmured. "He will not break as long as others still need him."

"_When a person has something important they want to protect, that's when they can become truly strong_." Naruto recited Haku's scarring words softly, but his hands were clutched. "But I think he is stronger than even that. He doesn't suppress his emotions, but uses them as his strength."

_Tou-chan_ was more than a ninja. He was his idol and father!

"It sounds like you admire him."

"Who doesn't?" Naruto gapped as he realized the voice came from another person in the hallway… What was up with Itachi's usually paranoic people-sensor today? "_Chichiue_."

"He is the type that dies young." Fugaku sounded… disapproving? "When you cease caring for your own survival, you are asking for death."

"That's not true!" Naruto quickly dispersed the quietly swirling ball of chakra in his palm before standing up. "He's just as human as we are. He just happened to give up his life because it would save this village! If he had a choice, he would never have sealed Kurama into his own son!"

Fugaku narrowed his eyes and gestured. Only after Mikoto had left the room did he ask: "You know the Nine-Tailed One's true name?"

"I guessed?" Naruto caught himself before he could fidget.

"Don't be flippant," Fugaku rebuked. "Did you read the tablet again after gaining your current eyes?"

"Why can't I have learned from a different source?" Naruto rolled his eyes. Uchiha and their sick fascination with Rokudou Sennin's legacy. "And don't change the topic on me either. Yondaime was a far better father than you'll ever be!"

Seeing Fugaku's stunned expression… Crap, he spoke his thought aloud this time?

"Regardless, he died before his time." The man didn't take too long to regain composure. "He can't be here to take care of his son now, can he? Men like him depend too much on themselves."

"He knew he could depend on others to take care of his son." Naruto would have none of it. "If not everyone in the village right away, at least enough people to start with. He _trusted_."

"I should just throw you out of the family." Fugaku leveled his activated eyes with his. "You clearly think very little of it."

"Last I checked, I can claim a room in the ANBU barracks." Naruto paused when he saw the shadows huddling behind a screen door. "But I suppose blood ties can't be cut, huh?"

If his body language was any indication, the Uchiha clan head was torn between anger and… sadness? Well, looked like this was the day that he could part with Itachi's nukenin skills for good! "Your mother had came up to ask you to take care of the empty bottles in the house. See that you do before your next mission starts."

Empty bottles? Naruto scratched his head, but he was already walking past the man. If he recalled correctly, those were strangely restricted to Mikoto's territory in the past? "Yeah, whatever."

He started to feel a little bad after discovering the paper disks he apparently had to swap from under the bottle caps. He actually felt bad when his eyes scanned over the opened pieces on their kitchen counter and the new pieces that he had to fold back.

One of Itachi's longest-held suspicions was confirmed: the Uchiha clan head's wife was also the head of the clan's intel system.

This latest batch of intel was clearly all gathered for his upcoming Kusa mission.

Naruto felt decidedly sick when he didn't see Fugaku in the house again for the rest of that weekend.

.

"So that's what happened." Naruto folded another paper crane in front of the tombstone. "I'm such a jerk, aren't I?"

Shisui, of course, could give him no reply. Precisely why his tombstone was the only privileged entity that had ever heard his entire time-hopping-plus-identity-crisis story in this timeline.

"Well, wish me luck." He tied the crane to the tenth strand of its kind. "This stupid thing better works, else I'll really screw your fiancée! "

Shisui obviously had no comment, even if it was him who first told Itachi about the superstition and taught the guy how to fold _paper cranes_.

"Then again, I never asked you if this was just your fabrication." Naruto chuckled, pocketing the strands of paper cranes safely in his vest. "You do love Fukurou though, right? No objection? Then I'm taking that's a yes! And no, I never believed in your she-is-just-a-sister-even-if-she-happens-to-be-the-strongest-unmarried-kunoichi-in the-clan crap one bit."

But as the bloody sun sets over the deserted graveyard, Naruto felt the warm tears streaming down his cheeks. "Why did you let me live, Shisui?"

.

Even with fans whirling at their max speed in frenzied croaks, the conference room was still sweltering enough to drench them in clothes-sticking sweats. It also didn't help that the atmosphere around the table was, well, far from balmy.

"I really have to go." Kotetsu's lips did look like they were quivering. "Can't hold it anymore."

Shimon rubbed his chin, but otherwise only eyed him quietly.

Feeling the weight of their combined gaze—plus of his title as the leader for their delegation—Naruto relented. "Fine, fine. Go. Quickly."

He really didn't want to recognize the smell that railed Kotetsu's exit from the room.

"So moving on…" An Ame representative seized on the opening like a vulture who had just found rotting meat.

Naruto frowned. He didn't want to have to resort to this drastic measure (and who knew if Akatsuki still went through with that damned plan after he _didn't _stir up an international ruckus with the Massacre in this timeline?), but their country was the one stop playing nice first! "Should we really include a delegation whose home country just lost its leader to revolt?"

"How dare you curse our leader!" The representative stood up. "We demand a formal apology from Konoha! That and the return of next ten year's lease on Kusa's marsh ginseng crop!"

"I don't mind giving an apology," Naruto sat back in his chair and made a move as if to look over the horizon beyond the nearest window—in pitch dark. "But I think I just saw parts of Kumo and Suna's contingents left."

"_This_ is our contingent!" That was Kumo's head representative—not Killer B, unfortunately.

"One must say Ame's own native supply of marsh ginseng is quite enviable…" That was Suna's representative, but not without giving him a dirty look.

As Ame scrambled to appease the two Great Nations, Naruto hid a yawn. Dammit, why can't they just divide up the stupid crop evenly and leave this table for good? Everyone already knew for five years that there was a replacement herb for marsh ginseng anyway! This item was only an pitiful excuse for the Five Great Nations to cite Kusa as a threat if the country ever detracts from its currently 'neutral' policies!

Shimon elbowed him.

Naruto automatically suppressed a start—yes, it had sadly became an impulsive counter-impulse. According to the notes that Shimon scribbled for him, apparently he was supposed to cast a vote on behalf of Konoha now.

Didn't he just raise this proposal earlier in the… back in the afternoon? Didn't everyone (including Shimon) shot him down because they preferred _complete consensus_?

At this rate, he was going to become even more cynical than a smoke-deprived Shikamaru!

"Yes." Naruto pinched himself to speak with a straight face. He never thought he might miss Itachi's poker face one day…

"Five yes's to leasing the crop to Kusa." Naruto pinched himself harder as the Mifune tallied their vote with an equally straight face. "Three no's. One abstain. I declare the lease is thus voted to be given to Kusa."

Naruto finally had it when the leaders from the other Five Great Nations' delegations started to congratulate Kusa.

"If you'll excuse me." Naruto managed before his face crushed into the table in disgust.

.

Kusagakure's Head Ninja was the first to find him alone outside.

"You're the most…honest leader I have seen at these forums in a while," he commented, offering him a tonic in a silver cup. "Marsh ginseng extract with bowroot essence, the best reward for a long night's work."

Another jab? Naruto gave him a tired smile. They both knew that bowroot was the very herb that had replaced marsh ginseng's popularity among the Five Great Nations, especially after they all 'domesticated' a wild variant of it—whose source shall forever remain unnamed, of course.

Gobbling it down without hesitation, Naruto felt some of his drowsiness lifted. "Indeed. Thank you."

"You're also the most direct Uchiha I have ever met," the Head Ninja chuckled. "Let me guess, you must not be very popular with your clan?"

Maybe it was really the tonic, but Naruto felt a little more alert now. "I think they are just trying to decide which stage in life I fit in—childhood where one could speak with complete frankness, or adulthood where one should speak with anything _but_ frankness."

"Ah, so you're a late-maturer." The Head Ninja laughed as if greatly amused by his own 'joke'. "So you cast a vote on behalf of your village and yet displayed obvious disgust with it."

Naruto balanced the empty chalice on a finger. "I just don't see how forcing a country to lease back its own crop could really lead to lasting peace."

The Head Ninja gave him a searching look. "You actually meant that."

Nodding, Naruto ignored Shimon-san's frantic gestures from the other balcony. "To me, it makes more sense for reducing conflict by ensuring countries have their needs met equally. Kusa wants Konoha's timber, Konoha wants Kusa's herb; a mere thirty years ago, there was a fair and even trade of strategic goods between our villages on behalf of our countries. Things seems to have really taken a turn for worse after the last war."

"A war that the Great Five Nations started," the other ninja sullenly noted. "You destroyed our main economy: no client would ever come to us without your recommendation any more. We cannot survive on herbs alone."

"Can't we?" Naruto wondered aloud. _Tou-chan_ believed he could find an answer, but he was admittedly a little far from home to be still searching. "The Lords define us as their land's protectors; we can never keep as much revenues from trade as from war. Sometimes, I wonder why are we still supporting this whole country-village system. It is clear that we are used as a way to keep their internal discontent outside."

"Speak carefully," the Head Ninja had dropped his voice to a whisper. "Those are dangerous thoughts."

But the man's dark eyes were glinting.

.

Shimon-san hadn't been happy with him after that little incident. But Naruto didn't care; he preferred substance over appearance. If there was one thing he learned from talking with the miners back home, it was that stomachs led the way to hearts.

Besides, he had finally brought them all back into _Hi no Kuni_'s territory safely; he couldn't postpone his attendance of the other mission anymore.

"Those bases are the ones that Kabuto pinpointed after reporting in with Orochimaru again?" Naruto ran the locations through Itachi's earlier memories of Akatsuki's honeymoon with the Konoha _nukenin_. "Look legit to me."

"That they may be," _Ero-sennin_ was—as usual—peering into an onsen from their well-appointed perch. "Doesn't mean they won't be more booby-trapped now."

"Well, then we'll just have to cut through the fireworks." Naruto dug deeper into Itachi's memories for the local terrain at each of the bases. "May even make for great covers."

"No use." His master suddenly giggled. "Wooh, look at those boobs! Must be at least…"

"Tsunade-sama…" Naruto started.

Ero-sennin kept on giggling, "Try again, brat. You aren't going to get me with that again."

"Fine, stay here." Naruto sighed, rolling up the make-shift map. "At least I will be able to find you again once I'm back."

"I told you it's no use." Ero-sennin finally looked at him. "Orochimaru picked his bases well; you won't be able to get in without alerting whoever is inside. "

"Then I'll alert whoever is inside." Naruto took a few compact rations from their combined stash—just enough to last Itachi's current appetite for at least four days. "If I'm lucky, they may panic enough to move the captives."

"Everyone else are still gathering supplies," his master called after him. "You aren't going in alone!"

"I won't if you come with me." Naruto hid a victorious smirk. Who was the one that decided to hide the toads from 'Itachi'?

When the white-haired ninja cursed vehemently that he had just lost his inspiration again, Naruto knew he had gotten the man again this time.

It sure was great to be working alongside his master again—suspicion and all.

* * *

**A/N:** Awesome week-off is awesome. Adds just enough oil to restart my admittedly very rusty creative-writing engine. My muse apparently also can't agree more. But please do excuse the lack of proof-reading, as my original beta has obviously moved onto better things in life.

Sorry, still no fights yet. I'm afraid this may start reading like a bad soap opera or some random rambling. If it helps, consider this the ARC of Narutachi's post-traumatic angst. But hopefully its loose ends have been mostly tidied up & we can go back to a somewhat cleaner slate starting with the next chapter.

Certain deviations from canon will remain no matter what keeps on happening (though I did have fun trying to tie the newer developments back in); the rest, I hope will be reasonable or at least somewhat plausible given the premise of this story. I'll leave you to the fun of deducing where the other sources might be.

And yes, cheers to all of you who are miraculously still reviewing and keeping tabs on this story after so long. This chaper would not have been possible without (...my guilt from) your steadfast support.

Of course, you can also tell me that this chapter ruined it all for good and I can forget about further undertakings altogether.


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